3/14/25

The NBA has legendary coaches, including Phil Jackson, Jerry Sloan, Red Auerbach, Gregg Popovich, Larry Brown, and Pat Riley. The NCAA boasts John Wooden, Dean Smith, Bob Knight, Mike Krzyzewski, Geno Auriemma, and Pat Summit. In Washington, we have Mike Bethea.

Coach Bethea just led the Rainier Beach Vikings to their 10th State Championship and their ninth under his direction. His success on the court is exceptional and well-documented. The culture he’s built around the program is just as impactful.

This year’s Rainier Beach squad sticks out in numerous ways. Firstly, the pursuit of their 10th State title, after suffering heartbreak last year, losing to Eastside Catholic in the Championship Game. Secondly, stars like Kaden Powers and Jaylen Petty, two division one commits, and surely a future division one commit in Dre Morris means every team would treat playing Rainier Beach as their State Title Game. Lastly, the addition of three-time NBA Sixth Man of the Year and Rainier Beach legend Jamal Crawford to the coaching staff meant the target on Rainier Beach’s back grew exponentially.

Coach Bethea’s leadership is admirable in all areas of life, not just sports. We were at Rainier Beach’s final regular season home game at Crawford Court, which was also senior day. Coach Bethea brought every senior individually to center court, put his arm around the player, and spoke about them, the memories made together, and giving life advice for those young adults. At halftime, they brought all Rainier Beach alumni to the floor to gather and reconvene on one of the most famous floors in all of Washington. The court was more full than the stands. After the game, video tributes for each senior were made, and Coach Bethea was right in the middle of it all, supporting each of those athletes as if they were his children.

There were four players on this year’s Rainier Beach squad whose fathers played for Coach Bethea on previous teams. One of them is Nyale Robinson, the son of another great NBA talent, Nate Robinson. Like Jamal Crawford, Robinson could be living anywhere in the world and could have his son play for pretty much any high school he wants, but he has his son back where his run to the association began. Coach Bethea’s impact on every player who puts on a Rainier Beach jersey runs far deeper than X’s and O’s on the basketball floor.

After their victory on that senior night, we chatted with Coach Crawford, and he said that Coach Bethea was his favorite coach he played for. That was on full display Saturday night. As the final buzzer sounded, cementing another State Championship for the famed program, Coach Bethea and Coach Crawford embraced for a passionate, long hug. Coach Crawford has traveled the world, played in the NBA for longer than the players he coaches have been alive, does TV, hosts basketball camps, and could probably be coaching at a high-level division one school or NBA team. Instead, he’s back at Rainier Beach, giving back to the family and community that is Rainier Beach basketball.

Crawford is leading by example, just like Coach Bethea instilled in him nearly 30 years ago. Setting those positive examples like what Coach Crawford is doing at Rainier Beach and what Garfield Boys Basketball head coach Brandon Roy is doing with the Bulldogs, is inspirational. They recognize that without their experiences at the high school level, who knows where they would be? To willingly give back to their alma matters speaks to their characters.

Our state is grateful to have ambassadors like Coach Bethea, Coach Crawford, Coach Roy, and many, many others who bequeath their knowledge and experiences to young athletes all across the state. Our state is better for having these leaders guide these young adults on and off the playing surface, and hopefully, more ex-professional athletes will return to our great state and continue to set up future generations for success.

People will talk about the 10 Rainier Beach State Titles, the numerous players who are in the NBA, and the consistent success on the floor. What people should be talking about is the support from the alumni for every single Rainier Beach squad, regardless of whether they win the State Title or not, regardless of whether they have family on the team or not. The culture and support derives from Coach Bethea. What he has built at Rainier Beach is the blueprint for every high school program in America.

So yeah, Rainier Beach might not win the State Championship every year, but the Vikings are racking up life’s State Championships with what Coach Bethea and his staff do behind the scenes.

Those titles count far more than the ones in the history books.

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