He was renowned for his passion, his knowledge of the game, and for his willing sharing of that knowledge. But he will always be known for his big heart and how much he cared about his players.
He was a big believer in note taking. He kept three notebooks - one with basketball information, one with general information, and a third with statements of appreciation for his wife (which he gave to her each year). He was a willing sharer of any knowledge he had...
He used to answer emails on his website. I asked him a few things over the years and he always responded thoughtfully within a couple of days.
He also was an indefatigable advocate of servant leadership.
Last night, I was thinking about Coach Meyer after a player got accidentally hit in the face. After I knew she was 'okay' I called the girls together. "Basketball isn't a contact sport; it's a collision sport. Sometimes it's hard. But we only get three choices - look for sympathy...the other team isn't going to give you any, quit, or get after it even harder. That's all there is."
Buster Olney wrote his bio, "How Lucky You Can Be." Coach Meyer was so exhausted on a recruiting trip that he fell asleep driving and was in a near-fatal accident. During the evaluation, he had cancer diagnosed and required a leg amputation but never lost heart or faith.
Don Meyer's Rules
"It's not who you play, it's how you play."
"It's not what you teach, it's what you emphasize."
"We can always do it better."
"What is unacceptable in defeat is unacceptable in victory."
"Every day you teach attitude."
"Discipline and demand without being demeaning."
"You have to learn to play with what you've got."
"There's only one thing we can control; that's how hard we play."
"The whole idea is to leave every place a little bit better than you found it."