Category Archives: Wizards

Road Trip

Miscellaneous, NBA, Wizards

Well, we are on the road the week before All-Star weekend. Left for Denver on Tuesday, got in to the Ritz. What a beautiful place with a gym next door. After arriving headed over to the gym to work with Etan and Pech. Got a good night’s rest.

Melo had 49 points on us. He is a tough cover. It was great seeing my close friends John Welch and Jahmal Mosley. They are doing a great job, they are excellent coaches but even better friends. I am very blessed to have them as my friends. Good luck the rest of the year. It is always a pleasure to see you guys. I only wish that we could spend more time together talking hoops and catching up on every thing.

Flew to Phoenix after the game. Got into our hotel around 2 in the morning. Had practice with low numbers again. Got some shooting in. Etan and Pech stayed after for some work. Enjoyed a great meal with the coaching staff and Zach our media guy. He is the best, always on top of everything. The weather is fantastic in Phoenix this time of the year. Another good night of rest. That makes two this week! Up early to meet with the staff and then off to shoot-around. The gym is always freezing in Phoenix during shoot-around. It sure does heat up when it is game time. The guys played their hearts out. They were shorthanded but fought for everything. We ended up with a one point loss. Caron and Antonio did not dress. Deshawn is playing on one leg. He is on the All Madden team. D Steve is as tough as they come. Caught the plane to San Francisco afterwards.

Got to our rooms around 2 again, by the time the bags arrive it is 3 and sleep is never long enough. We are at the Hyatt, it is not the Ritz, but what a view of the city and the bay. San Francisco is a great city. Went for a nice walk after our meeting. Play tonight and come back to the hotel for another night before flying to L.A. to play the Clippers on Wednesday. We need to get a win, soon. We also need the All-Star break to get our guys healthy and to rest the others.

Being on the road you not only miss your family but the people at the Verizon Center. They are always helpful and friendly from the top of the organization to the ball boys and ball girls. A great group to be around. Hope everyone back in D.C. is doing well and staying flu free.

Don’t forget Thursday is Valentine’s Day. Enjoy the All-Star game. Take care, until next time.

All-Stars

Miscellaneous, Wizards

     Congratulations to Antawn and Caron on being named All-Stars. It is quite an honor and they both deserve the award. Caron missed a few games and we struggled without him. We had a nice win against Toronto at home (OT). Then we had to play the following night in Toronto. They came out and gave us a good old fashioned beating. I myself started to catch the flu and this did not help. Could not get out of bed for the next couple of days. I am sorry to say that I missed a game versus Utah. They are also playing at a high level and the addition of Korver is huge for them. Finally got back to the gym, it seems like I was away for weeks. Still weak and light headed. Played the Lakers on Super Sunday. Unfortunately it was not super for us or the Patriots. The Lakers took control from the start and never looked back. Kobe is something else. It is scary to think how much better they will be with Gasol and then when Bynum comes back.

Now we have to get ready for Philly. They are a young team that likes to push the ball. We lost at the buzzer up there at the end of November. Nick Young had a good look but it was a little long. He will make many game winners before his career is over. We took the train up to Philly. It is a nice way to travel, very relaxing.

After Philly we head home and play the San Antonio Spurs on Wednesday, the second of a back to back. Practice on Thursday and then off to Denver, Phoenix, Golden State and the Clippers. We are the only team that has not been out west yet. Life is not easy in the NBA. You have got to come ready to play every night.

I am glad to be up and out of bed, back in the gym with the coaches and players. We have a super staff and the guys work hard. Etan is doing more and more every day and Gil has been getting some shots up. When we get them back and everyone is healthy we can be scary. It is hard to believe that we are already closing in on 50 games played. All-Star Break is coming the weekend of February 16-18 in New Orleans.

Hope everyone is healthy and flu free.

The Man Who Made Me Give Up Dunks for Threes

NBA, Shooting, Wizards

By: Gilbert Arenas
From: Agent Zero: The Blog File

It was in my development stage of high school when I came across Dave Hopla. I started late and it was around the time when dunking was the new thing. If you can dunk at an early age, that’s the best. Every kid is trying to dunk. So I want to camp and Coach Hopla came out there and usually when you see shooters at these camps, you’re waiting to jump on them and be like, “You missed! You missed!” but he was like, “I’m going to play this game that’s called ‘Shooting Against Reggie.’” You know, because everybody at the time thought that Reggie Miller was the best shooter in the league. So he put a hat on that had a hand cut out hanging from the brim so it was right in his face. He said, “Every one I make counts for one for me; every one I miss is three points for Reggie. We’re going to 21.”

Continue reading The Man Who Made Me Give Up Dunks for Threes →

Wizards Cash in on ‘Free’ Advice

NBA, News, Wizards

From: The Washington Post
By: Ivan Carter

Shot Guru Hopla Has Helped Team Improve Percentage From Line, Other Areas of Court

Even when he misses a free throw this season, which is not nearly as often as in the past, Wizards center Brendan Haywood doesn’t worry too much about it. He simply waits for a chance to consult with assistant coach-player development Dave Hopla and makes the necessary adjustment the next time he steps to the line.

Continue reading Wizards Cash in on ‘Free’ Advice →

Swish! Wizards assistant Dave Hopla shoots, shoots, shoots – and teaches

NBA, News, Wizards

By: The Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) -It seems safe to say he owns the highest shooting percentages of anyone on an NBA payroll.

Even Gilbert Arenas wouldn’t dare challenge him to a 3-point contest.

Washington Wizards assistant coach Dave Hopla is a 6-foot bundle of energy with graying temples, a slight paunch and a rat-a-tat-tat patter. He also can put the basketball in the hoop, over and over and over again.

Continue reading Swish! Wizards assistant Dave Hopla shoots, shoots, shoots – and teaches →

My First Blog

Miscellaneous, NBA, Wizards

Welcome to davehopla.com. I am very excited for the upcoming year, hope that you are too. I will be blogging each week and I will also have guest bloggers on the site as well. On my blog I will be giving updates as to what I am doing, how the team is doing, as well as some of the players that I have worked with in the past. I am really looking forward to doing this.

Now that I am working with the Wizards, I don’t get to see as many college and high school games as I did in the past. But I sure do get to watch the greatest athletes in the world play on a daily basis. I have been blessed by the Good Lord to be involved with the game that I love for 38 years now. It is hard to believe that I am now 50.

I always enjoy hearing from ex campers as to what they are doing with themselves. Keep me posted, I would love to hear from you. Any suggestions that anyone might have about the website, let me know. My main man Rob Santoro and I are always looking to improve it and keep it fresh.

We have Houston tomorrow night at the Verizon Center and then go to Atlanta to play on Friday. Back home to play the Celtics this Saturday. Until next week, may your jumper hit nothing but the bottom of the net.