Wake Forest Athletics
Deacon Sports Xtra: Tisdale Finding Path After Playing
9/7/2021 12:19:00 PM | Men's Basketball
After the East Tennessee State NCAA appearance was lost after the entire 2020 tournament was canceled, Southern Conference Tournament MVP Isaiah Tisdale hired an agent and prepared to start his professional basketball career overseas.
But the Covid-19 pandemic just got progressively worse, making those options less readily available and much riskier.
"Next thing you know Covid went insane and hit its peak," Tisdale said. "There were a lot of unknowns. So, I got a job at Hoop Dreams, as part of an AAU organization."
It didn't take long for new Wake Forest coach Steve Forbes to reach out to Tisdale, who was in the process of looking for a grad assistant position somewhere in college basketball.
"If you still want to play professionally, do that," Forbes told Tisdale on a call. "But if not, you're family."
Tisdale quickly accepted the Wake Forest grad assistant opening, calling it a "no brainer."
"It's a great, amazing feeling," Tisdale said. "It almost feels like I never left being with coach Forbes, it's just a different aspect of the game. It's a family atmosphere, and they've always treated me as family. But now it's even more because I'm with them all non-stop. I see them more than I see my mother.
"We always stayed in touch after I graduated from East Tennessee State, and now it doesn't feel like I skipped a beat."
In his new position with the Demon Deacons, Tisdale often finds himself as a conduit between the staff and the players — having just finished playing for that staff just a little more than a year ago.
"I work with the players in the gym, and make sure they have everything they need," Tisdale said. "It's our job to do the day-to-day operation, in terms of getting the food and a lot of the small stuff that's usually taken for granted. I'm just staying involved with the team and building a relationship with them. I'm that guy who they can relate to.
"I just finished playing with him. It's all about gaining respect with the players. They can use me as the guy to work with them away from office hours. It's a perfect position to help facilitate the goals of the program."
He's been impressed with what he's seen in the Shah Basketball Complex since his arrival in early June.
"They are very good," Tisdale said about the team that was assembled by the Wake Forest staff during the offseason. "I think we can be really good. They are guys that love being in the gym and love being around each other. The talent is good, scoring is really good. We've still got a long way to go, but from what I've seen so far, this team is going to be very good.
"It's a marathon, not a sprint. Competition is insanely good and there's high energy. It's going to be something special. I believe it."
After transferring from Vincennes University in Indiana, Tisdale played his final two seasons with Forbes at ETSU. He started all 34 games in the 30-win 2019-20 season, averaging 9.2 points, 2.8 assists and 4.6 rebounds a game. He loved his time playing in Forbes' system.
"It was amazing," Tisdale said. "You have freedom, but it's structured freedom. He lets you play your game. He relates to all the players. He knows how to tailor to your game and relate to you on and off the court. Playing with him just makes everything fun. He's going to bring joy, intensity and passion for the game out in you."
The season ended for the Buccaneers when the NCAA Tournament was canceled after they had won an automatic bid by claiming the Southern Conference Tournament Championship.
"I still haven't processed it," Tisdale said. "I'm still in shock. After we won, we had a meeting, then after the meeting the season got canceled, then Covid really started popping off. I still haven't seen my teammates since the locker room after the conference championship game. We still stay in touch; I just wish I could see them again. It's heartbreaking and sad."
The GA position with Wake Forest is just the first step in Tisdale's future plans.
"Whatever God has planned," he said. "I just want to be a hard worker and network. Being a Division 1 head coach is the ultimate goal. I love the enthusiasm and the fans at the college level."
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But the Covid-19 pandemic just got progressively worse, making those options less readily available and much riskier.
"Next thing you know Covid went insane and hit its peak," Tisdale said. "There were a lot of unknowns. So, I got a job at Hoop Dreams, as part of an AAU organization."
It didn't take long for new Wake Forest coach Steve Forbes to reach out to Tisdale, who was in the process of looking for a grad assistant position somewhere in college basketball.
"If you still want to play professionally, do that," Forbes told Tisdale on a call. "But if not, you're family."
Tisdale quickly accepted the Wake Forest grad assistant opening, calling it a "no brainer."
"It's a great, amazing feeling," Tisdale said. "It almost feels like I never left being with coach Forbes, it's just a different aspect of the game. It's a family atmosphere, and they've always treated me as family. But now it's even more because I'm with them all non-stop. I see them more than I see my mother.
"We always stayed in touch after I graduated from East Tennessee State, and now it doesn't feel like I skipped a beat."
In his new position with the Demon Deacons, Tisdale often finds himself as a conduit between the staff and the players — having just finished playing for that staff just a little more than a year ago.
"I work with the players in the gym, and make sure they have everything they need," Tisdale said. "It's our job to do the day-to-day operation, in terms of getting the food and a lot of the small stuff that's usually taken for granted. I'm just staying involved with the team and building a relationship with them. I'm that guy who they can relate to.
"I just finished playing with him. It's all about gaining respect with the players. They can use me as the guy to work with them away from office hours. It's a perfect position to help facilitate the goals of the program."
He's been impressed with what he's seen in the Shah Basketball Complex since his arrival in early June.
"They are very good," Tisdale said about the team that was assembled by the Wake Forest staff during the offseason. "I think we can be really good. They are guys that love being in the gym and love being around each other. The talent is good, scoring is really good. We've still got a long way to go, but from what I've seen so far, this team is going to be very good.
"It's a marathon, not a sprint. Competition is insanely good and there's high energy. It's going to be something special. I believe it."
After transferring from Vincennes University in Indiana, Tisdale played his final two seasons with Forbes at ETSU. He started all 34 games in the 30-win 2019-20 season, averaging 9.2 points, 2.8 assists and 4.6 rebounds a game. He loved his time playing in Forbes' system.
"It was amazing," Tisdale said. "You have freedom, but it's structured freedom. He lets you play your game. He relates to all the players. He knows how to tailor to your game and relate to you on and off the court. Playing with him just makes everything fun. He's going to bring joy, intensity and passion for the game out in you."
The season ended for the Buccaneers when the NCAA Tournament was canceled after they had won an automatic bid by claiming the Southern Conference Tournament Championship.
"I still haven't processed it," Tisdale said. "I'm still in shock. After we won, we had a meeting, then after the meeting the season got canceled, then Covid really started popping off. I still haven't seen my teammates since the locker room after the conference championship game. We still stay in touch; I just wish I could see them again. It's heartbreaking and sad."
The GA position with Wake Forest is just the first step in Tisdale's future plans.
"Whatever God has planned," he said. "I just want to be a hard worker and network. Being a Division 1 head coach is the ultimate goal. I love the enthusiasm and the fans at the college level."
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