Johnny Tauer and Mike Maker, head coach and associate head coach of the University of St. Thomas men’s basketball team, recently spoke with WCCO-TV for a story about their connections to the Dallas Mavericks and Boston Celtics – the two teams that recently competed in the NBA Finals.
Johnny Tauer, the University of St. Thomas men’s basketball head coach, used to coach Dallas Mavericks’ assistant coach Sean Sweeney back when he played for the Tommies between 2002-06.
“I’ve known Sean since he was probably 15 or 16 years old. He was actually one of the first two guys that I recruited,” said Tauer, who was still in his early volunteer assistant coaching days back when Sweeney was on the team. …
For the last four Tommie basketball seasons, coach Tauer’s partner on the sidelines has been associate head coach, Mike Maker, who also has a tie to a team in the NBA Finals.
“My first recruit at West Virginia in the Big East was Joe Mazzulla,” said Maker.
Back in 2006, Maker coached the now-Boston Celtics head coach as a point guard at West Virginia University.
Maker told WCCO he still sends game day motivation to his former player via text.
