Jameer Nelson is relishing his general manager role with the Delaware Blue Coats: ‘I accept the challenge’

As the Delaware Blue Coats began shooting drills following a practice last January, Jameer Nelson hopped in line.

That may be an unsurprising move for the Chester native and former St. Joseph’s All-American, whose 14-year NBA career included an All-Star and Finals appearance with the Orlando Magic in 2009. But it is atypical for the general manager of a G League team. That is Nelson’s role today, entering his second season leading the front office of the 76ers’ affiliate whose opener is Saturday against Raptors 905.

Since 2020, Nelson has been working his way up to guide one of the G League’s more successful franchises, which won the 2023 championship and boasts recent player success stories such as Sixers wing Ricky Council IV.

Nelson was not shy about sharing with The Inquirer that his goal is to become a lead front-office executive for an NBA team, deliberately shifting “trying to be to” to “I know, at some point, I’m going to be” during a conversation last month. He vows to be continued proof that former players can successfully transition to such jobs but did not want to skip steps, holding scouting and assistant general manager positions within the organization before being promoted to his current post.

Those around Nelson praise his relatability to players, and his collaborative “don’t call me ‘Boss’” approach. Nelson describes it “as humbly as possible, I’m myself.”

“I always had to walk into the door, observe, and find out where I can lead and help,” he said. “I’m not a guy that’s going to come in and pound my chest. I’m not the loud speaker. But if there’s something I need to say, I’ll say it. I’ll get it off my chest in the right way.”

Nelson did not necessarily have these aspirations as his playing career wound down with the 2017-18 season. He credits Sixers general manager Elton Brand — another former player-turned-executive — with bringing Nelson into the front office and saying, “We’ll figure it out.”

Though joining that side of the organization came with a learning curve, it also sparked intrigue. Nelson thought back to moves by teams he was on that may have occurred because of the salary cap, or all the potential what-ifs that never crossed the finish line. He enjoyed the problem-solving aspect of building a roster.

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The toughest adjustment, he said, was managing a larger group of people once elevated to the general manager role after Prosper Karangwa was promoted to the Sixers’ vice president of player personnel. As a point guard, Nelson was used to directing his teammates on the court. Now, he feels accountable to the full roster and staff, and welcomes feedback through what he calls “bottom-up leadership.”

“You’re worrying about not just the basketball part of it,” Nelson said. “You’re responsible for other people’s livelihood.”

Blue Coats coach Mike Longabardi pointed to Nelson’s “instant credibility” as a former player, which his demeanor has enhanced. The coach recently recalled a game in Toronto last season, when the Blue Coats were down to seven players because David Duke Jr. had just signed a two-way deal with the San Antonio Spurs and multiple others were out with illness.

“He’s like, ‘Nah, we’re going to be fine and everything’s going to work out,” Longabardi told The Inquirer. “And it did. That’s where, to me, just being in those experiences, obviously you can’t put a price on it. …

“His confidence is extremely high, but his poise is what stands out. He never overreacts.”

Former Blue Coats coach Coby Karl, meanwhile, loved swapping stories about the late Kobe Bryant and legendary coach Phil Jackson with Nelson, yet appreciated that he also could dive into more difficult conversations “where it doesn’t come across as an attack.” Former forward Darius Bazley said that whenever Nelson dropped by last season, “It’s not like headmistress is coming in and we’re all [on our] Ps and Qs. It helps with the culture.” Jeff Dowtin Jr. added that Nelson sent an “any advice you need …” text when he joined the Sixers and Blue Coats on a two-way contract last season, and then received real-time tidbits from him on opponent schemes during halftimes of games.

“For him to just reach out, first and foremost,” Dowtin said, “and say things like that, it means a lot to me to have somebody that’s in my corner. Somebody that I can talk to, somebody that I can ask questions if I don’t know and he can give me the rundown in certain situations. Just somebody that you can look up to.”

On the court, Nelson prioritizes positional versatility, rather than prototypical guards, forwards, and centers. That meshes with the G League’s tandem goals of individual player development and winning, which must be achieved with constantly fluctuating rosters as players float back and forth to the Sixers or get picked up by other NBA teams. The Blue Coats advanced to the playoffs’ second round last spring.

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That success also requires recruitment and building trust with agents. Nelson regards persuading Bazely, a former first-round pick now playing overseas, to join the Blue Coats last season as one of his initial front-office wins. Later, the previously undrafted Council had his two-way contract converted to a standard four-year NBA deal, while Dowtin’s two-way was also converted for the end of the 2023-24 before he signed another two-way for this season. Last March, Bazely and fellow former-Blue Coat Kenneth Lofton Jr. were both signed by the Utah Jazz on late-in-season deals.

“There’s a ton of scouts from other teams that call,” Nelson said. “And you already know when somebody’s going to get taken, because they’re playing so well. It’s like ‘Gah,’ but [we are] able to have those relationships because of the success, and because of just being real and transparent with the agents, like, ‘This is what I see.’”

Nelson always secretly hoped he could play for his hometown Sixers, a dream he is unsure his family even realized existed. His current job is a unique way of fulfilling that, estimating about 20 loved ones come out to Wilmington for each Blue Coats home game.

He also feels supported by the “big club.” Sixers coach Nick Nurse’s wide-ranging career includes a seven-year stint in the G League (then the D League), including winning the 2011 championship with the Iowa Energy. Much of Nurse’s staff — including Karl, who is now a Sixers assistant — took similar paths. That means Nurse welcomes conversations with Nelson about when younger players — which this season could include rookie guard Jared McCain, and two-way players Dowtin, Justin Edwards, and Lester Quinones — could get time with the Blue Coats. Nelson also sits in on meetings helmed by Brand and president of basketball operations Daryl Morey, and is appreciative when they ask for his opinion.

“I bounce things off of everyone that’s in the front office,” Nelson said. “For me, it’s just about learning as much as I can, continue to grow … I have a unique role and perspective. I’m not sure every general manager of a minor league team, whatever sport, is as involved as I’ve been allowed to be involved by Daryl and EB over the last few years.”

That’s why Nelson was with the Sixers for training camp in the Bahamas, along with much of the Blue Coats’ staff. At one point during the week, he stepped away to acquire the rights of guard Armoni Brooks in a trade, a reminder of the logistics of his roster-building responsibilities. Nelson also spent time with the young players on two-way and Exhibit 10 deals, observing how they handled sharing the same floor as All-Stars Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey, and Paul George, and took in information from the Sixers’ coaching staff before heading to Wilmington to prepare for the Blue Coats’ season.

And Nelson still occasionally grabbed a ball to fire those post-practice shots. After three consecutive misses inside an Atlantis Resort ballroom one day, Quinones playfully asked if Nelson’s still got it.

It represented Nelson’s transition from player to this front-office path — by being himself.

“I accept the challenge,” Nelson said. “I accept the role, and I love it.”