Spurs Allow Budenholzer to Negotiate with Hawks (Edit: Bud Hired as Hawks' Coach)

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Originally Posted by crc21209

So how does this work? Is he still a part of the Spurs staff for the Finals?

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TBD, but Presti went right to work for Seattle in 2007. There's only one week between the date of a possible Game 7 and the NBA Draft.

Congrats coach!

Wow congrats coach Bud!

Why go to Atlanta though??? The worst franchise in the eastern conference (historically).

No one cares about the NBA in Atlanta - they have the worst fan base bar none. I'd rather him have taken the Detroit job.

Couldn't this shit wait until after the postseason? We're still playing. Dude needs to focus his time on strategy for the Finals, not what he's going to do next year.

foreal tho, fuck danny ferry

Another thought, might he take someone with him to Atlanta? Happy he is getting his shot. Sentimentally, it would have been nice for him to get it here but I have confidence in Pop and R.C. to find an outstanding replacement.

If you want too look at the bright side, Spurs letting Bud go means like that means that Pop will likely continue his career coaching for few years. And Pop is the best coach in the league.

Spurs have lost their top2 assistant coaches in 2 years with Don Newman going to Wizards and Bud now going to Atlanta. I've been very impressed by what Brett Brown did with Australia NT, so I would be fine with him getting the top assistant coach spot. Forcier being promoted as 2nd assistant sounds fine too.

Brett Brown seems to have already stepped up.

Well deserved! Congrats Bud!

Don't see why people need to call him out on it though. Spurs are most likely a lottery team anyway when Duncan, Manu, and Pop retire.

Say hello to the next head coach Ime Udoka. :lol

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Originally Posted by Ocotillo

Another thought, might he take someone with him to Atlanta? Happy he is getting his shot. Sentimentally, it would have been nice for him to get it here but I have confidence in Pop and R.C. to find an outstanding replacement.

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he can take Gary and nando and dejuan.

Brett Brown did a great job as a head coach here in Australia, not just with the International team but when he was a head coach domestically. I'd be fine with him taking over the top job if and when that comes up.

well I guess the window is closed when Duncan and Pop retire anyway.

ATLANTA --The Atlanta Hawks have named Mike Budenholzer (BEW-den-holzer) the team’s new head coach, President of Basketball Operations/General Manager Danny Ferry announced today. Budenholzer becomes the 12th full-time head coach in Hawks history. Per team policy, terms of the agreement were not announced.
“We are thrilled to have Mike as the next coach of the Atlanta Hawks. He has an incredible basketball acumen and has a keen awareness of the league and what it takes to be successful," Ferry said. "His experience and four championships over the last 17 years provide a tremendous foundation for his leadership of our team.”

Budenholzer, 43, spent the past 19 seasons with the San Antonio Spurs, including the final 17 seasons as an assistant coach. For the last six seasons, he has served as the team’s no. 1 assistant to current San Antonio Head Coach Gregg Popovich, the longest-tenured head coach in major professional sports and third-winningest coach (by percentage - .681) in NBA history behind only Phil Jackson and Billy Cunningham.

“I have been extremely fortunate to be a part of the San Antonio Spurs organization for the last 19 years. I knew it would have to be a tremendous situation for me to leave and clearly coming to Atlanta as the head coach of the Hawks is perfect for me,” said Budenholzer. “Ownership’s commitment to taking this organization to the next level and creating a unique and special culture, partnering with a general manager like Danny Ferry who I have great respect for, and building a roster that has terrific potential because of the existing core and the ensuing flexibility presents a rare and uniquely positive opportunity.”

During his time with the Spurs, he was a part of one of the most successful eras in NBA history. As an assistant coach since the 1996-97 season, he has helped lead San Antonio to a league-best 908-438 (.675) regular season record and four NBA Championships (1999, 2003, 2005 and 2007). Hired by Popovich prior to the 1994-95 season, Budenholzer spent his first two seasons as a video coordinator before being named an assistant coach. On numerous occasions, he served as the Spurs summer league head coach. He also served as an advance scout for Team USA for the 2004 Olympics.

"I couldn't be happier for Mike for many reasons. As anyone who's been part of this program knows, he has been more of a co-head coach than an assistant for a long time. His knowledge of the game as well as his ability to teach and develop relationships with players are all special,” said Popovich. “I will miss him a great deal both professionally and personally and am confident that he and Danny will make a great team as the future unfolds."

Budenholzer is a 1993 graduate of Pomona College where he received a bachelor’s degree in politics, philosophy and economics and was a four-year letterman in both basketball and golf. Following college, he played professionally in Denmark for the Vejle Basketball Klub, averaging a team-high 27.5 points per game during the 1993-94 season and getting his start in coaching, serving as the head coach for two different teams in the Vejle system.

A native of Holbrook, AZ, he and his wife Mary Bet have four children: Will, Libby, Hanna and John.

Budenholzer will continue serving as the Spurs top assistant until the conclusion of the 2013 NBA Finals.

http://www.nba.com/hawks/news/hawks-...zer-head-coach

Congratulations to Bud, well deserved. Means that Pop is probably going to be staying on for at least 2-3 more years which is great news.

Unless Atlanta signs both CP3 and Dwight this summer, Bud should be available to take over for Pop when he retires tbh.

http://cf.badassdigest.com/_uploads/...oooo__span.jpg

:wow

:depressed

:cry

And if you think that Pop will retire as the same time as Duncan, Bud leaving could also mean that Duncan won't retire this summer, even if Spurs win it all.

Wow, that hit me like a sucker punch. Wish Bud the best. Who will be second in command in SA?

asdfghjkl;' shit sucks

Ah well. Good luck, Coach Bud!

Any chance he will take Bonner to Atlanta?

Hire Del Negro when Pop retires !!!!!

damn. congrats to budenholzer though. he definitely deserves a starting gig. selfish fans like myself wanted him to stay an assistant for a little while longer before taking over here, but he's invested PLENTY of years as an assistant. he's ready. just sucks that he's going to atlanta. if they aren't able to sign dwight or paul, their future doesn't look especially bright. horford is the man though.

looks like we'll have a reunion with PJ or give Brown the top assistant spot. i personally vote for brown. more of a fresh face instead of going backwards