Thread Tools

Display Modes

**Cinco de Mayo** · 06-02-2006, 02:40 PM

Quote:

ESPN.com's Marc Stein is reporting that the Sacramento Kings have hired Memphis assistant Eric Musselman as head coach.

A press conference is expected for Saturday.

Musselman, who coached the Golden State Warriors from 2002-04, appears to be the leading candidate among the three coaches interviewed by the Kings, who parted ways with Rick Adelman on May 9.

Musselman spoke with the entire Maloof clan -- including Colleen Maloof, the mother of four sons who preside over the family's extensive business empire -- and president of basketball operations Geoff Petrie at the Maloofs' casino in Las Vegas in his second interview on Thursday.

The Kings have conducted a deliberate search since announcing Adelman's contract wouldn't be renewed after 395 victories in eight consecutive winning seasons. Sacramento, which lost to San Antonio in the first round of the playoffs, has the NBA's only coaching vacancy.

The Kings have also interviewed Golden State assistant Mario Elie and Sacramento Monarchs coach John Whisenant for the job, and each of the three candidates has been rumored to be the front-runner at some point during the last week.

The tightlipped Petrie and the Maloofs apparently did not have interest in higher-profile candidates such as former Dallas coach Don Nelson or New York's Larry Brown, whose dismissal has been rumored for weeks.

Although Musselman isn't a big-name coach yet, the top assistant in Grizzlies coach Mike Fratello's defense-heavy system already has many of the qualities necessary to impress the Maloofs.

Link

That's a shame. I was hoping he'd succeed Fratello...I couldn't believe Orlando passed him over the year before.

Good luck to Eric in Sac-town.

**MemphisX** · 06-02-2006, 03:58 PM

Hey nothing like keeping with the tradition. Keeping our most talented on the bench then letting them go to shine for another team.

Sacramental · 06-02-2006, 07:50 PM

going from rick adelman to erik musselman does not sound good, but I've got no choice but to wait and see... sacto has the players and talent to win 60+ games, remember that they finished the season with artest with the 2nd best record in the league. it;s too bad they didn;t make the trade earlier, and here's to hoping that musselman can take this team deep in the playoffs. no more choking.

**Peja Vu** · 06-02-2006, 10:47 PM

Kings get their man: Musselman

Quote:

But one trusted Sacramento source predicts Musselman will make it work: former Kings guard Bobby Jackson, who played under Musselman this past season.

"He'll be good," Jackson said. "He's an offensive minded coach, but he always has a defensive presence about him. That's the good thing about him, is he's going to bring both offense and defense. And he ain't going to be scared to say anything to anybody. Everybody respected him."

Thread Tools Display Modes

Thread Tools

Display Modes