ATLANTA — There is something in the water in Northeast Ohio. Call it rust-belt grit, call it Midwest tough, or call it an innate, generational instinct for the game of basketball. But if you look across the professional sports landscape right now—from executive offices and general manager desks to elite WNBA sidelines—the 330 and 216 area codes aren’t just represented.
They are setting the standard.
During a postgame press conference following another strong performance by the Atlanta Dream, I decided to step away from traditional box scores to ask Dream head coach Karl Smesko about that exact regional brotherhood.
When you look at modern basketball leadership, the footprint from Northeast Ohio is unmistakable. Take Mike Gansey, the Olmsted Falls native who starred at West Virginia before earning a reputation as one of the sharpest front-office architects in sports. After leading the Cleveland Cavaliers’ front office as GM, Gansey was recently tapped as the President of Basketball Operations for the Philadelphia 76ers, taking over the reins to orchestrate a championship-caliber roster.
To fill the opening left by Gansey’s departure, the Cavaliers turned directly back to the local roots, promoting longtime staffer Brandon Weems to General Manager. Weems, a St. Vincent-St. Mary product who grew up side-by-side with LeBron James—the ultimate son of Akron and the living standard of global basketball dominance—has spent more than a decade earning his stripes in scouting and personnel evaluations.
Then there is Smesko himself. Born in Bath Township, Smesko cut his coaching teeth in Ohio at Walsh University before building a legendary dynasty at Florida Gulf Coast University. Upon taking the helm of the Atlanta Dream in the WNBA, Smesko brought his signature high-octane offensive philosophy to the pros, guiding the Dream through a highly successful campaign.
So sitting in the media room, microphone in hand, I put the question to Coach Smesko directly: Being from Northeast Ohio yourself, what makes that region so special and what is it about the basketball mindset there that continues to produce this level of greatness?
“You know, I’m just a kid from Akron,” Smesko cracked back with a smirk, instantly drawing laughs and applause from the gathered press.
“That’s actually true!” he added with a grin. “I am from Akron, Ohio. But, you know, I am proud of my hometown. Basketball—it’s a big basketball area, it’s produced a lot of great players.”
While borrowing the line made famous worldwide by LeBron James got a quick laugh, Smesko quickly pulled back the curtain on why basketball runs so deep in his bloodline—and used my question to share an incredibly moving personal tribute.
“My love of basketball came from my father,” Smesko shared. “He was a high school basketball coach. And today is his 94th birthday.”
The announcement brought a collective warmth and round of applause over the room. Smesko’s father, Al Smesko, was a longtime Ohio high school coach himself, passing down the tactical discipline and passion for the game that propelled his son to over 600 career wins.
“He’s in a retirement community and he usually has to watch the game if he can get it on his phone or whatever, but for his birthday, they put it on the big screen,” Smesko smiled. “So, you know, he’s a Northeast Ohio guy who’s rooting for the Atlanta Dream.”
Before the press conference moved on, an audience member called out, “Happy Birthday, Dad!” to which Smesko gave a gentle nod and a heartfelt, “Thanks.”
Smesko’s exchange wasn’t just a feel-good moment; it was a microcosm of an entire culture. Whether it’s LeBron James carrying the mantle of Akron on the world stage, Brandon Weems taking the reins of the Cavs’ front office, Mike Gansey executive-producing in Philadelphia, or Karl Smesko revolutionizing offense in the WNBA, the story remains consistent. Northeast Ohio doesn’t just produce talent—it raises basketball lifers whose deep-rooted work ethic stays with them long after they leave home.
