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Dan Dickau Discusses Experiences with Blazers GM Neil Olshey Amid Investigation
November 8, 2021
Former Portland Trail Blazers player and player development assistant Dan Dickau said he was "not surprised" by the recent news about general manager Neil Olshey being under investigation for alleged workplace misconduct.
Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports reported Portland hired O'Melveny & Myers to investigate allegations Olshey created a "toxic, hostile work environment where staff members have been subjected to intimidation and profanity-laced tirades, among other bullying tactics."
Dickau opened up about his own experiences with Olshey and the organization on his podcast, specifically his time as a player development assistant.
He said he felt he was "always pushed aside" whenever he asked where he stood, including after he interviewed for a G League job with the Idaho Stampede. He also never received an interview despite being told he would regarding a potential assistant job for new head coach Terry Stotts.
While Dickau explained that he understood new head coaches often hire their own staffs, he reached out to the business side of the organization looking for clarity and expressing his desire to remain with the Trail Blazers.
Olshey called him two days after he sent the email:
"In an aggressive tone, he calls me and he starts cursing me out. Telling me 'Why would you ever f--king go behind my back? You went behind my back and tried to play politics with the email you sent. You former players don't get it. You don't work. You're lazy. You're gonna have a hard time finding a job in the league ever again if this is the way you act because you're a former player and you're very lazy.'"
Dickau said he was insulted by Olshey's suggestion that he didn't have any original ideas and just copied everything.
The general manager also reportedly told Dickau that he "should be laying on the floor each and every day at the practice facility waiting for the guys to come in so I could rebound for them" even when he was away for a bit with his wife and newborn baby during a quiet time in the offseason.
Olshey then granted him one more interview for the Stampede job and said "you better f--king bring it."
Dickau said he felt prepared for the interview, yet he walked away knowing he wouldn't have a job with the organization.
"I also knew the way things were handled didn't sit well with me," he said.
The guard played collegiately with Washington and Gonzaga before an NBA career that lasted from 2002-03 through 2007-08 with stops with the Atlanta Hawks, Trail Blazers, Dallas Mavericks, New Orleans Hornets, Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Clippers.
Portland hired Olshey as general manager in 2012. He was previously the general manager of the Los Angeles Clippers.