It was quite a week for state native Mike D’Antoni. First, the Mullens native and former Marshall star was named the NBA Coach of the Year for the 2016-17 season. Then his Houston Rockets improved their chances of competing for a NBA title by trading for former Wake Forest star Chris Paul.

Having spent my early childhood years in McDowell County, I grew up watching and following the D’Antoni family, which lived in nearby Wyoming County. My father was an Italian who always followed with pride the exploits of other Italian athletes and coaches. In the southern coalfields he liked to follow former Mullens coach Lewis D’Antoni (1950s) and former Welch coach Frank Marino (1960s).