Maine Red Claws GM Remy Cofield Talks Boston Celtics Scouting & The Development Of Coaches, Tacko Fall & Tremont Waters

For two guys like Tremont [Waters] and Tacko [Fall] who are in their first year out of school, it is important to get them comfortable with the pro game so that they are ready when their number is called against NBA players.

Remy Cofield

General Manager for the Maine Red Claws & Scout for the Boston Celtics

Maine Red Claws & Boston Celtics

Currently, I am the General Manager for the Maine Red Claws as well as a scout for the Boston Celtics.

As GM of the Red Claws, I oversee the team’s basketball operations including player acquisitions, trades, hiring staff, as well as many other day-to-day team related matters.

In my role as a scout for the Celtics, I watch a ton of college, NBA, International, and G League basketball. Along with watching film, I communicate with different coaches and staff members across multiple leagues in order to be prepared to help during the NBA draft, free agency, and trade deadline.

There are very few days that follow the same routine.

Most days, I try to check in with the coaching staff in Maine and catch up with the support staff, I check injured players and see how they are progressing, and I may reach out to other teams to check in depending on the time of year and what our team needs may be.

On the Celtics side, I try to watch film every day. Since the college basketball season runs parallel to the NBA and Gleague seasons, there is always a lot of basketball to watch especially if I was not able to watch certain games live. Some days we’ll have scouting meetings to discuss prospects and watch film as a group. There are days when the Celtics team is practicing, and I’ll watch them while talking with some of the coaches. Every day is different, but there is always something to be done.

For the better part of the last decade, you have been, in multiple facets, apart of the Boston Celtics organization. As recently as 2012, the Celtics were in the era of the “big 3” of Paul Pierce, Ray Allen, and Kevin Garnett. How much has changed since you started your career there?

My first season with the team was the 2013-2014 season. I just missed the prior year that included those 3 players.

In the 7 years that I’ve been a part of the organization, the biggest changes made have been the growth of our staff and the new location of our facility.

We’ve been fortunate to be among the top teams in the league during that timeframe. I am very fortunate to be a part of the Celtics Organization.

As a G League GM, how does the news that the league will now be recruiting players straight out of high school sit with you?

From a player’s perspective, it gives certain high level prospects more options to think about when they leave high school. Instead of leaving the country to play overseas, you can earn a competitive salary right here in the G League. There are also a lot of college programs that are fantastic for developing young athletes, but college is not for everyone.

From a scouting perspective, we still are going to spend a great deal of time evaluating this group of players albeit in a different forum. I’m looking forward to seeing the young players up against some talented veterans.

The Raptors G League affiliate, the Raptors 905, were responsible for grooming the likes of Pascal Siakam, Norman Powell, Fred VanVleet, and Chris Boucher. What are the Main Claws doing to develop players like Tako Fall and Tremont Waters to rise to the occasion like these 905 players have in recent years?

Our Red Claws coaching staff is in communication with our Celtics coaching staff weekly on how to best develop both players.

Not only does the G League offer pro level experience through playing games but we practice much more often than an NBA team does.

This gives players like Tremont and Tacko more opportunities for skill work and team development. They are able to take the intense training and implement it in G League games and also NBA games.

In addition, we try use some of the same plays and terminology that our Celtics team uses so in the event that either one is called up to play in an NBA game, it is a seamless transition.

Lastly, we try to build confidence in our players up in Maine. For two guys like Tremont and Tacko who are in their first year out of school, it is important to get them comfortable with the pro game so that they are ready when their number is called against NBA players. They have done a great job so far in the early stages of their careers.

The Red Claws have proven their ability to not only develop players but coaches as well with Scott Morrison’s promotion from the Maine bench to the Boston bench in 2017. What kind of emphasis is placed on staff development with the Red Claws?

It’s very important to us to not only develop staff members from within by giving them opportunities in Maine to coach but we also look outside the organization to bring in other talented people.

We strive to give everyone opportunities to learn through experiencing different facets of coaching. Most people who coach in the G League find it challenging yet rewarding because of the personal growth you can make in one or two seasons.

Communicating with players, cutting up film, presenting scouts in front of the team, on court player development etc. There are so many opportunities that you may not get at other levels. We take staff development very seriously and enjoy seeing former members of the Red Claws go on to bigger roles in the NBA, college, and internationally.