The West Coast Waves leader Anthony Nusbaum is is one of the most well known franchise managers in the league. He's regularly outlandish and has become a big stirrer of drama as time has passed. People around the league have even began to claim that Nusbaum is the "LaVar Ball" of JAL.
Because he draws so much attention to himself (sometimes controversially) Nusbaum tends to not be given as much credit as he probably deserves. In just two seasons as the Waves owner he's taken the team to the postseason both times, last season even to the NC Finals.
So what is it that makes him a good owner? 3 reasons below...
1) His players play hard for him
Yes, it sounds silly, but it's true. Nusbaum's Waves teams engulf themselves in the competition. Think back to the last 2 seasons, and the disappointment looks on the faces of Lane Traver, Mason Klingberg, Adam Clark and the rest of the squad when they got knocked out. Nusbaum make's sure his guys want it. They play hard every game.
2) He builds well
Nusbaum knows how hard it is to get a true MVP caliber player, so instead of desperately putting all his chips in on trying to get one he's crafted his rosters with more attainable assets and balance. The Waves highest ranked player on the top 20 list comes in at only #8, but he's got all-star level talent at each position of the game and that's why his team stays in the top tier mix.
3) He keeps his franchise relevant
Think about the 2nd reason you just read above... The Waves have never been equipped with eye popping talent, yet they're always making headlines somehow. This is because of Nusbaum. For good or for bad, you KNOW about Waves and you hear about what's going on with them on a regular basis. They've become one of the league's most popular teams and that's a credit to him. By the way, yes, popularity is a good thing - It means you're more likely to have games broadcasted for example or gives free agents and rookies the thinking that "hey, this team is important."
Nusbaum may not be THE BEST owner in the game, but he's defiantly a good one, and one players love to play for.