In this week's coaching conversation, Ibaraki Robots head coach Chris Holm joins the Basketball Podcast to share insights on shifting team culture.

Chris Holm is a professional basketball coach with a diverse coaching background spanning collegiate and international levels. He is currently the head coach of the Ibaraki Robots in Japan’s B.League, a position he assumed in June 2024 after serving as the team’s assistant coach for two seasons. His leadership reflects years of tactical growth and adaptability, building on prior success across both coaching and player development roles.

Before joining Ibaraki, Holm spent nearly four seasons with the Kyoto Hannaryz from 2020 to 2024 as an assistant coach, helping guide the team through competitive B.League campaigns. He previously served as an assistant coach at The George Washington University from 2015 to 2019, contributing to the team’s development in the Atlantic 10 Conference. Between coaching stints, Holm also worked in the private sector as a Territory Account Executive with Toast, Inc., further broadening his leadership experience.

In this week's coaching conversation, University of Tennessee at Chattonooga head coach Dan Earl joins the Basketball Podcast to share insights on his see, share, shoot and compete philosophy.

Since taking over as head coach of the Chattanooga Mocs in 2022, Earl has transformed the team into a force in the Southern Conference. His tenure has been marked by sustained progress, culminating in a standout 2024-25 season in which Chattanooga secured a 29-9 overall record and a 15-3 conference record to claim the Southern Conference regular-season championship.

His guidance propelled the Mocs to an impressive run in the National Invitation Tournament (NIT), where they emerged as champions after an overtime victory against UC Irvine. His coaching excellence was recognized as he earned his second Southern Conference Coach of the Year award in 2025.

Earl began his head coaching journey at Virginia Military Institute (VMI) in 2015, where he led the program for seven seasons. Though faced with challenges, he guided VMI to notable success, including a 12-11 record in the 2020-21 season that earned him Southern Conference Coach of the Year honors. His leadership culminated in a postseason berth when VMI reached the College Basketball Invitational (CBI) in 2022.

Before becoming a head coach, Earl gained valuable experience as an assistant coach at Penn State from 2006 to 2011, followed by a stint as associate head coach at Navy from 2011 to 2015. His years in assistant roles helped shape his coaching philosophy, emphasizing player development, tactical execution, and resilience.

With two Southern Conference Coach of the Year awards to his name and a proven track record of success, Dan Earl continues to solidify his reputation as a top-tier leader in college basketball.

In this week's coaching conversation, Baylor head coach Nicki Collen joins the Basketball Podcast to share insights on navigating elite coaching from the WNBA to Baylor.

Nicki Collen has built an impressive coaching career across both the WNBA and NCAA, establishing herself as a dynamic leader in women's basketball. Currently serving as the head coach at Baylor University, Collen has guided the program with a strong tactical approach, compiling a 102–36 (.739) record in her tenure. Under her leadership, Baylor secured a Big 12 regular season championship in 2022, continuing the program’s tradition of excellence.

Before transitioning to the college ranks, Collen made her mark in the WNBA, serving as the head coach of the Atlanta Dream from 2018 to 2020. In her first season, she led the Dream to a 23–11 record, earning WNBA Coach of the Year honors in 2018. Her ability to develop talent and implement a competitive system was evident throughout her time in the league, where she compiled a 38–52 (.422) overall record.

Collen’s coaching journey began as an assistant coach at Colorado State (2001–2003), Ball State (2003), Louisville (2003–2005), Arkansas (2011–2014), and Florida Gulf Coast (2014–2015). She then transitioned to the WNBA’s Connecticut Sun (2015–2017) as an assistant coach, helping the team improve from a 14–20 record in 2016 to 21–13 in 2017.