The System Goes Pro

Pursuing one or more primary academic interests while nurturing a separate but equally intense passion in another area is hardly an unusual occurrence for Grinnellians. In fact, it is rather the norm.

Scientists go on to discover the artist within, psychology majors make legal history, and just occasionally, an economics major becomes a professional basketball coach.

Observe David Arseneault, Jr. ’09, who, while majoring in economics, became the all-time Division III leader in career assists average (9.4) playing for Grinnell. Three times he was a Bob Cousy Award finalist.

Arseneault, Jr. played professionally for a brief time overseas before returning to serve as assistant head coach at Grinnell under his father and head coach David Arseneault, Sr. He even served as interim head coach for a semester in 2011­–2012 while his dad was on sabbatical. Then, last September, once-again-assistant head coach David Arseneault, Jr. saw an email in his inbox that would make him recalculate everything.

The missive was from the renowned “father of basketball analytics,” Dean Oliver. It cryptically requested a call back. Arseneault dialed up Oliver, assuming that the former director of production analytics for ESPN was mining statistics on the Grinnell System — the formula-driven, fast-paced style of play that came to the basketball world’s attention after Jack Taylor ’15 turned in a 138-point game in 2012.   

In an unexpected twist, Oliver, acting in his new role as analytics guru for the National Basketball Association’s Sacramento Kings, asked Arseneault if he would be interested in a position with the Kings’ NBA Development-League team, the Bighorns, in Reno, Nev.

Arseneault recalls, “I said ‘Yeah, sure, but I just have to clarify … is this the head coaching position?’ I told my dad about it, and he said the same thing, ‘Are you sure this is the head coaching position?’ I talked to them again, and they flew me out for an interview.

“I didn’t even bring my resume,” Arseneault says. “I got up and talked to the general manager of the Kings, the assistant GM, Oliver, the assistant GM of the Reno Bighorns, and one of their other analytics guys. I told them what we do — and if there’s one thing in this world that I can stand in front of anybody and talk about for hours on end, it’s our system and our style of play.

“They knew a little bit about it. They’d of course heard of Jack Taylor. But they wanted to know what changes I would make, how it would work, what I would like to see, the differences from the college level to the D-League, and so I talked about all that. Apparently they liked what I had to say.

“Apparently there is somebody out there that’s crazier than me and my dad,” Arseneault jokes, “and that would be the guys that hired me.”

Crazy like foxes, maybe. It was a short-lived secret that the Kings are deliberately transforming their franchise by embracing analytics and experimentation.

“Really and truly, they have been 100-percent supportive,” says Arseneault, who took over the coaching post in October 2014. “They have given me full freedom to experiment how I want and to see what happens.”

Myriad variables related to the pro game mean the Bighorns have to play a hybrid of the Grinnell system. Arseneault has to adjust to, among other things, almost-daily roster changes.

“I’m trying to keep what we’re doing very basic, keeping players motivated and getting them to buy into something that’s different and unique,” Arseneault says. “I’m teaching this brand new style of basketball, and when I first introduced it they were looking at me like I was from the moon. I just continue to teach and reteach because every day we have new players coming in.”

Judging by the point totals in a recent 174-169 win over the Los Angeles D-Fenders, Arseneault’s Bighorns are providing the Kings’ brain trust with plenty of crunchable numbers. How the story will resolve for the Kings, the Bighorns, Arseneault, and the System itself is all part of the entertainment value.

“I think (the System) could translate wonderfully,” Arseneault says. “I am more convinced now than ever that it could work in the D-League and at the NBA level.

“I’m enjoying life and I’m having a great time. If it extends into a second year and becomes more of an opportunity — if they like what we’re doing and I keep enjoying myself as much as I am — then I would love to be back here.”