Kings hire Eric Musselman as new head coach

[trueD]

Here's the lowdown, can't believe I couldn't find anything about this on your board!

http://www.sacbee.com/content/sports...15076667c.html

By Sam Amick -- Bee Staff Writer
Published 3:07 pm PDT Saturday, June 3, 2006

It took two interviews for Eric Musselman to become the next Kings coach.

But in his mind, the fit was right after one.

On May 24, the former Memphis assistant and Golden State head coach sat down with Kings co-owners Joe and Gavin Maloof and president of basketball operations Geoff Petrie. Afterward, he headed to his Palms Casino Resort hotel room in Las Vegas, convinced he was about to return to the NBA head coaching ranks after a two-year hiatus.

"I called Lonnie Cooper, my agent," said Musselman, who also interviewed for head coaching jobs in Cleveland and Orlando last offseason. "He was more excited than me, and he asked how it went. And I said, 'I got the job.' He said 'What do you mean you got the job?' I said, 'I got the job.'
"With Joe and Gavin and Geoff, it was just freeflowing. I didn't know when it was going to end. I got back up, and it was three hours and something. It could've gone into the night. It could've gone into the next day."

But not until the Maloofs and Petrie concluded their background check on Musselman did they finally bring him aboard. At a news conference at Arco Arena on Saturday, Joe and Gavin Maloof said Musselman's lineage and work ethic were the most attractive qualities. His father, the late Bill Musselman, coached for four seasons in the NBA.

"He's a prodigy," Gavin Maloof said. "He was born to coach."

Joe Maloof said the Kings made extensive calls to associates who weren't known as Musselman supporters, turning up only one negative about the coach who has extensive experience in the NBA, CBA, and the USBL.

"The only negative was his intensity level, but you know we're pretty intense," Joe Maloof said. "I don't consider that a negative. I consider it a positive."

Musselman, who also made a trip to Arden Fair Mall for a meet-and-greet with fans Saturday, said basketball is in his blood.

"When I woke up getting ready for school in the fifth and sixth grade, there wasn't cartoons on the TV, there was game tape," said Musselman, who was 75-89 with the Warriors from 2002 to 2004. "That's what I knew. It was natural for me, when school was out, to come home, drop my backpack down and say, 'Mom, take me to practice, and to sit in and watch my dad's practices. I'm glad there is basketball beyond being a kid when you grow up, because I don't know what else I'd do besides basketball."

[trueD]

This was a great hire for Maloof's, especially after considering hiring their WNBA head coach for the position. The public outcry was large, but Petrie stood his ground that it was the Maloof's choice. Turns out Petrie's patience paid off BIG with this hire and Musselman was announce as the Kings new head coach yesterday.

He brings a strong sense of passion and urgency, something most of us fans have but found lacking in the former coach. His youth will definitely be an advantage, and he appears to be ever so organized.

Long live the new coach!

[trueD]

Here's a piece with a few more teeth...

http://www.nba.com/kings/news/Kings_...181010-58.html

SACRAMENTO, CALIF. – The Sacramento Kings today named Eric Musselman as the team’s new head coach, it was announced by Kings’ President of Basketball Operations Geoff Petrie. Per club policly, terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

“We’re really excited to announce today that Eric Musselman will become the new head coach of the Kings,” explained Petrie. “Among the young coaches in the NBA, he is certainly one of the best and brightest. We’re all extremely impressed with his organization, knowledge, preparation and commitment to winning. He’s a defensive-minded coach, but he’s also proven that he’ll juice his offense, and that type of balance becomes important when you start thinking about playing at higher levels of the game. Today he becomes the Kings coach, our coach, and for all of our fans and supporters in Sacramento, I hope they’ll embrace him as their coach.”

Prior to signing on as the 20th head coach in Kings’ franchise history, Musselman spent the past two seasons as an assistant coach for the Memphis Grizzlies under Mike Fratello.

“I think we got one of the brilliant young minds in basketball today with Eric Musselman,” said Joe Maloof. “His preparation and attention to detail is something our organization needs. He brings a great at ude with the type of intensity and passion towards the game that we like.”

A young, energetic coach with a proven track record, Musselman has been successful on various levels throughout his coaching career. He was named head coach of the Golden State Warriors on July 6, 2002 at the ripe age of 37, making him the youngest head coach in the NBA at the time. In two seasons, he guided the Warriors to a 75-89 mark (.463), including a 38-44 record during his first season at the helm, which earned Golden State the NBA’s most improved record in 2003 (17-win improvement from the year before). His efforts that season made him the runner-up for the NBA Coach of the Year Award. Despite losing young stars Antawn Jamison and Gilbert Arenas the following year via trade and free agency, respectively, Musselman’s Warriors posted a 37-45 mark.

“We’re very pleased to have Eric as our new head coach,” explained Gavin Maloof. “He’s extremely prepared for what he does. He lives and breathes basketball. He’s a winner and I have confidence in his ability as a coach to bring us a championship at some point.” Prior to joining the Warriors, Musselman worked as an assistant coach for the Atlanta Hawks (2000-02) under Lon Kruger and as an assistant coach for the Orlando Magic (1998-00) under Chuck Daly and Doc Rivers. His first NBA coaching experience came as an assistant coach for the Minnesota Timberwolves (1990-91) on the staff of his late father, Bill Musselman. “I’m extremely excited and thankful for this opportunity,” said Musselman. “The Sacramento Kings is an outstanding organization with terrific ownership, talented players, a great staff, and a fan-base with unparallel passion for their team.”

Before his assignment with the Magic, Musselman served a seven-year stint as the head coach of the Florida Beach Dogs of the Continental Basketball Association (CBA), where he posted a 270-122 record (.688), earning the second-highest winning percentage in league history behind George Karl. From 1990 through 1997, Musselman had 24 players called-up to the NBA, the highest number in the league during that span. He holds the distinction of being the only person in CBA history to coach in five league All-Star Games (1990, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1997) and was the first coach in professional basketball history to win 100 games by the age of 28. When he was 23, Musselman became the youngest coach in CBA history. As the Rapid City Thrillers’ (later became Florida Beach Dogs) general manager in 1988-89, he hired current Pistons head coach Flip Saunders as the team’s head coach.

Musselman also served as head coach of the Florida Sharks of the United States Basketball League. In the summers of 1995 and 1996, he coached the Sharks to a combined 53-3 record (.946, including playoffs) and back-to-back USBL Championships. He holds the highest winning percentage in league history.

A graduate of the University of San Diego, Musselman played in two NCAA Tournaments as a member of the Toreros basketball team, and is a three-time member of the West Coast Athletic Conference All-Academic squad. He was selected by the CBA’s Albany Patroons in the fifth round (58th overall) of the 1987 Draft following his collegiate career.

[DirkAB]

http://spurstalk.com/forums/showthread.php?t=43147

[trueD]

http://spurstalk.com/forums/showthread.php?t=43147

Yeah, saw this later...but think we deserve better.

P.S. Think you meant this:

http://spurstalk.com/forums/showthread.php?t=43098

Okay, begin the deletion process Kori! And sorry...xoxo

[trueD]

Okay, but here's something new and exciting...the PRESS CONFERENCE with Musselman, Maloof's and Petrie.

http://www.nba.com/kings/

^^ It's on the page.

[Brutalis]

who?!

[trueD]

Sorry, not good at the hyperlink thingie...

[trueD]

I'm lame, goodnight.