Pistons < Spurs
08-04-2006, 07:40 AM
August 4, 2006 -- Liberty 75 Shock 67
Bill Laimbeer interviewed with Isiah Thomas twice last year about the vacant Knicks' head coaching job. The former Piston told his old teammate that he was no longer interested in the position when he learned that it was destined for Larry Brown.
Brown eventually became the Knicks coach, but had Laimbeer been offered the job and taken it, he believes things would have worked out quite differently for the Knicks last season. And he also thinks Thomas is a much better fit to coach the team than Brown was.
"I thought if I got the opportunity to coach here, I would have done a fine job," said Laimbeer, in his fourth full season as the head coach of the WNBA's Detroit Shock. "They fell into a bad mix here last year with the coach and the players."
Last night did not provide much evidence to support Laimbeer, as Detroit fell to 19-9 with a 75-67 loss to the Liberty (8-21) in front of an announced crowd of 8,640 at the Garden. Worse, the Liberty played without Becky Hammon, who still is bothered by a sprained ankle.
Barbara Farris led the Liberty with 17 points.
Despite Brown's previous success in both college and the pros, his methods didn't work here, according to Laimbeer.
"They had a 'players versus coaches' mentality here and it showed," Laimbeer said. "For everything he's done, Larry Brown is not the easiest coach to play for."
What would Laimbeer have done that Brown failed to do?
"You've got to get the guys to buy into what you're saying and Larry didn't do that," Laimbeer said. "I'm confident enough in myself that I think I would have. The players would have liked playing for me."
More importantly, he thinks Thomas will be able to do that and avoid a repeat of last season's 23-59 fiasco.
"Having the respect of the players is half the battle and Isiah already has that," Laimbeer said. "He's a very smart basketball person, one of the smartest I've ever met. He's had success at a lot of different levels and I don't see that changing here."
Laimbeer is unsure of what he wants to do with his future.
"Maybe one day I'll look into the NBA again," he said, "but my focus is here now."
http://www.nypost.com/sports/laimbeer__i_would_have_done_better_than_brown_spor ts_dan_martin.htm
Bill Laimbeer interviewed with Isiah Thomas twice last year about the vacant Knicks' head coaching job. The former Piston told his old teammate that he was no longer interested in the position when he learned that it was destined for Larry Brown.
Brown eventually became the Knicks coach, but had Laimbeer been offered the job and taken it, he believes things would have worked out quite differently for the Knicks last season. And he also thinks Thomas is a much better fit to coach the team than Brown was.
"I thought if I got the opportunity to coach here, I would have done a fine job," said Laimbeer, in his fourth full season as the head coach of the WNBA's Detroit Shock. "They fell into a bad mix here last year with the coach and the players."
Last night did not provide much evidence to support Laimbeer, as Detroit fell to 19-9 with a 75-67 loss to the Liberty (8-21) in front of an announced crowd of 8,640 at the Garden. Worse, the Liberty played without Becky Hammon, who still is bothered by a sprained ankle.
Barbara Farris led the Liberty with 17 points.
Despite Brown's previous success in both college and the pros, his methods didn't work here, according to Laimbeer.
"They had a 'players versus coaches' mentality here and it showed," Laimbeer said. "For everything he's done, Larry Brown is not the easiest coach to play for."
What would Laimbeer have done that Brown failed to do?
"You've got to get the guys to buy into what you're saying and Larry didn't do that," Laimbeer said. "I'm confident enough in myself that I think I would have. The players would have liked playing for me."
More importantly, he thinks Thomas will be able to do that and avoid a repeat of last season's 23-59 fiasco.
"Having the respect of the players is half the battle and Isiah already has that," Laimbeer said. "He's a very smart basketball person, one of the smartest I've ever met. He's had success at a lot of different levels and I don't see that changing here."
Laimbeer is unsure of what he wants to do with his future.
"Maybe one day I'll look into the NBA again," he said, "but my focus is here now."
http://www.nypost.com/sports/laimbeer__i_would_have_done_better_than_brown_spor ts_dan_martin.htm