Posts Tagged ‘Don Nelson’

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All-time Coaching Winner Don Nelson Says He Is Permanently Retired

August 27, 2012  ·  4:12PM

 

HANG TIME WEST – He is 72 and living the good life on heaven-on-Earth Maui, so there has naturally been the question of why Don Nelson would want to give that up to get back into the coaching grind. Now comes the updated answer: he doesn’t.

The winningest coach in NBA history is permanently retired. He will not pursue future openings and will politely decline any overtures that do arrive.

That’s the word from Nellie himself, and the development is significant even if there appears to be little chance any team would register interest. Just last summer, after all, the Timberwolves considered Nelson for a job he very much wanted, before Minnesota hired Rick Adelman.

“No, I don’t,” Nelson said when asked if he wants to coach again. “There is life after basketball, which I didn’t know about when I was 70, but now I know that I’m 72. I’m having a great time on Maui. I’m doing a lot of development on my properties here and staying real busy. I actually get to play golf once in a while. I’m having the time of my life in my 70s.”

What changed in one year?

“I got a little eager,” he said. “You start thinking, ‘I’m getting older and it may be my last opportunity to get a job.’ All those things are going through my mind (when the Timberwolves showed interet). And I loved the team. I didn’t go after every job, but I went after the one job where I really thought I could do a good job. And when that didn’t happen, I pretty well dismissed ever coaching again. Then I had an opportunity to go to work for a friend of mine in Dallas. We’re starting a company in Detroit, Michigan, where we’re going to make made-in-USA items. We’re going to make watches, make bicycles, leather goods. A company we put together called Shinola.”

Nelson, who will be inducted into the Hall of Fame on Sept. 7, last coached in 2009-10, when he passed Lenny Wilkens for No. 1 on the career coaching win list as part of a 26-56 campaign. A few months later, just before the start of training camp and the final season on his Warriors contract, Nelson was fired as part of a series of changes by a new ownership group.

“I think it was a good time for me to step away from it,” he said recently. “I really did enjoy my last year. We didn’t have a good team, but those guys, they gave me everything they had every single game. We had a bunch of non-drafted players. They gave me such a great year. We got the record. The guys wanted that so bad for me. It was just such a fun year I had my last year there. Then, when new ownership came in and I got to be 70 years old, I thought maybe it was just a perfect time to step away. I think it was. I really do.”

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Can Karl’s Nuggets Run To Glory?

August 23, 2012  ·  12:16PM

HANG TIME, Texas — Break out the oxygen tanks for the thin air in Denver. Start ironing the extra rubber onto the soles of those sneakers.

George Karl wants the Nuggets to run. And run and run and run.

Does anybody have leftover programs and posters from when the nutty professor Paul Westhead tried that route in Denver back in 1990? Do you remember his Nuggets averaging a league-high 119.9 points per game? Oh, and giving up 130.8? How about the night they surrendered 107 points in one half to Phoenix, which is still an NBA record?

Talking to Scott Hastings on KKFN in Denver, an unabashed Karl says his plan for getting his Nuggets out of a three-year funk of being bounced from the playoffs in the first round is to pick up baton from where Mike D’Antoni left off with his “Seven seconds or less” offense in Phoenix.

“I’ve never seen it be that successful in the NBA, but I think the big thing for us is, who is going to commit to playing fast? We talked about it and last year we did a good job at it, but there’s no way I want to slow down. I want to try to prove the world wrong — that you can run and win in the NBA, and you can win big if you keep running. The problem is, can you run for 82 games every minute, every possession of every game?”

While putting the pedal to the metal can certainly inject a level of excitement and enthusiasm to an arena, Dan Devine of Ball Don’t Lie reminds with the cold hard stats that it has never been a path that has led to a championship. (more…)

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Call It A Comeback For Sloan?

May 23, 2012  ·  9:46AM





HANG TIME PLAYOFF HEADQUARTERS – If Dwight Howard thought Stan Van Gundy was tough to deal with, can you imagine how he’d react to Hall of Famer Jerry Sloan?

The former and longtime coach of the Utah Jazz is apparently contemplating a coaching comeback at 70, with feelers from both the Charlotte Bobcats and potentially the Magic, who fired Van Gundy Monday and are currently searching for his replacement.

Sloan has already spoken with the Bobcats about their opening and is “intrigued” by the possibilities in Orlando, per the Salt Lake Tribune:

Asked about his reported interest in Orlando, Sloan said, “I’m sure a lot of people are interested. But I really don’t know what the parameters are going to be or what’s going on. I guess we’ll wait and see what happens.”

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Hall of Fame Announces Class of 2012

April 2, 2012  ·  1:58PM





Former Pacers scoring star Reggie Miller and Don Nelson, the winningest coach in league history, headline the Hall of Fame Class of 2012 announced Monday in New Orleans in the basketball museum’s latest attempt to address previous oversights.

While Miller’s selection was not a surprise, he did go from not being a finalist in 2011 all the way to election this time. Nelson went from finalist to missing the cut in ’11.

Jamaal Wilkes made it to Springfield, Mass., some 26 years after he retired. Ralph Sampson, elected largely on the strength of a dominating college career at Virginia, last played in 1992.

Hank Nichols, a long-time college and international referee, also made it via the North American Committee.

Maurice Cheeks, Bill Fitch, Bernard King, Dick Motta and Rick Pitino fell short of the required 18 votes from a secret panel of 24 voters comprised of members of the media, NBA and college game.

Katrina McClain, a former star at Georgia and two-time Olympic gold medalist, and the All American Red Heads, a barnstorming team from 1936 to 1986, were elected by the Women’s Committee.

Mel Daniels (ABA), Don Barksdale (Early African American Pioneers), Lidia Alexeeva (International), Chet Walker (Veterans) and Phil Knight (Contributor) were announced in February as inductees.

Enshrinement ceremonies are Sept. 7 in Springfield.

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Chris Mullin’s Big, and Telling, Night

March 19, 2012  ·  1:38PM




* Photos: Mullin’s career | Warriors.com’s coverage of Mullin’s jersey retirement

HANG TIME HEADQUARTERS WEST – The Warriors will retire uniform No. 17 tonight at halftime at Oracle Arena to honor Chris Mullin, a tribute both richly deserved and years overdue. That much is obvious.

Look at the list of guests who will be on the court with him, though. Not so obvious. Many family members, sure. The Warriors who previously had their numbers retired, or someone on their behalf: Al Attles, Rick Barry, Tom Meschery, Nate Thurmond and Barbara Lewis representing her brother Wilt Chamberlain. Several former teammates, including Tim Hardaway, Mitch Richmond, Sarunas Marciulionis and Rod Higgins. All predictable party guests.

But then there is Tom Abdenour, the former Golden State trainer.

And Mark Grabow, the former director of athletic development.

And Eric Housen, the former equipment manager and current director of team services.

On his big night, the guest list says more about Mullin than any speech. He was the small forward who couldn’t take anyone off the dribble yet played in five All-Star games, the New York City product without the mega-street hype who won two Olympic gold medals and the human being who overcame alcoholism early in his career to become a Hall of Famer all because he was the ultimate gym rat who would not be outworked. The greatness of Mullin is that he refused to give up, and now he will make sure others who were there with him late at night, away from the spotlight, will get credit.

“It’s an incredible honor to be recognized by the organization,” Mullin said. “I spent 13 years playing and growing as a player and a person, and it’s a place I lived. I developed a really unique relationship with the fan base there. It’s another opportunity for me to say ‘Thank you’ to all of my teammates, administrators and front-office people that stuck with me and helped me carve out a nice career in the NBA.”

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Hall of Fame Invites New Inductees

February 24, 2012  ·  1:22PM

 

ORLANDO – Former Pacer big man Mel Daniels was among five people elected to the Hall of Fame in results announced Friday as part of a new format designed to generate more recognition for some inductees before the biggest names, the NBA representatives, are revealed at the Final Four.

Previously, the Hall used All-Star weekend to release the list of finalists in every category, before those candidates are reviewed by another committee as the last step to induction in Springfield, Mass. Now, the winners from the five classifications that don’t require that last step as part of a direct-elect process will be announced as part of All-Star weekend, along with finalists from the North American and Women’s field.

The inductees: Daniels (ABA), Don Barksdale (Early African-American Pioneers), Lidia Alexeeva (International), former Bulls standout Chet Walker (Veterans) and Nike chairman Phil Knight (Contributor).

Also, Magic executive Pat Williams was named winner of the John W. Bunn Lifetime Achievement Award, and long-time Bulls writer Sam Smith (print) and former Trail Blazers broadcaster Bill Schonley (electronic) will receive the Curt Gowdy Media Awards.
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Adelman In Minnesota?

August 23, 2011  ·  2:18PM

HANG TIME HEADQUARTERS – Admit it: the Minnesota Timberwolves’ coaching search has gone on for so long you forgot they still haven’t replaced Kurt Rambis.

Any and every available coaching candidate worth his whistle has been in and out of the Twin Cities to speak with general manager David Kahn and the organization’s brass about the open spot. And you can finally add ex-Rockets coach Rick Adelman to that list, per Jerry Zgoda of the Star Tribune:

The Wolves brass worked for weeks to get Adelman to come in for more than a phone interview.  If he wants the job, and they can agree on a salary, the job is probably his.

The salary would probably have to be around $5 million per year.

Adelman joins Don Nelson and Sam Mitchell, likely, as the team’s top candidates.  The 65-year-old Adelman has taken time off during his career, and the thought is he might want to take another year off to spend time with his family.

Adelman’s career record is 945-616 in 20 seasons with Portland, Golden State, Sacramento and Houston. He favors an up-tempo style, which is said to be what the Wolves seek.

The list of candidates linked to the job is extensive.

In addition to Adelman, Nelson and Mitchell, names like Larry Brown, Terry Porter, Mike Woodson and Bernie Bickerstaff were all mentioned as possible replacements for Rambis. Of this group, only Woodson has landed elsewhere. He has already signed a contract to join Mike D’Antoni‘s staff in New York.

If Adelman is the choice, the Timberwolves have every right to be excited. He would improve the situation in Minnesota the minute he walks through the door.

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Larry Brown To The Timberwolves?

July 25, 2011  ·  11:19AM

HANG TIME HEADQUARTERS – This one sounds too good to be true.

As if the Minnesota Timberwolves haven’t done everything in David Kahn‘s powers to make themselves the most interesting non-playoff team in the league this summer, now comes word that their seemingly never-ending coaching search has taken yet another sharp turn toward yet another Hall of Famer.

Larry Brown is the man in Kahn’s crosshairs these days, per a report from Jerry Zgoda of the Star Tribune:

After interviewing Rick Adelman and Don Nelson over the weekend, the Timberwolves intend to interview Larry Brown and possibly one or two others in this first phase to replace fired coach Kurt Rambis.

When the Wolves will interview Brown, who has coached teams to both NBA and NCAA titles, is uncertain because of a recent death in his family, according to a league source with knowledge of the team’s search.

If they do, they will have interviewed two coaches among the top six all time in NBA career victories. Nelson is No. 1 with 1,335. Brown is No. 6 with 1,098.

The Wolves so far have interviewed Bernie Bickerstaff, Terry Porter, Mike Woodson, Adelman and Nelson. Add Brown to that list and four of those candidates are age 65 or older, a sign team President David Kahn is looking for experience and track record for such a young team.

Brown, 70, has coached nine NBA teams and was fired by Charlotte 28 games into last season. He would appear to be a long shot for the job, because he’s not the kind of coach with fast-break basketball in his bones and is known for being impatient with young players. He also often wants to trade much of the roster after taking a new job.

But there is a connection here: He and Kahn have known each other since the late 1970s, when Brown coached UCLA and Kahn was a student-newspaper reporter there, and Kahn considers Brown one of his mentors.

We’d be lying if we said we’re anything other than completely intrigued by the idea of Brown and Kahn rekindling their working relationship, albeit with a much different dynamic now with Kahn as the boss.

As infuriating as it can be watching the Timberwolves operate sometimes, we have to admit that Kahn keeps things extremely interesting.

Now if he can just make a decision on his next coach a little faster than he did in firing his Rambis …

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They’re Not Here to Screw Around

June 28, 2011  ·  6:19PM

OAKLAND – The latest was announcing Tuesday they had purchased control of basketball operations of the NBA Development League team in Bismarck, N.D., which came after they spent $2 million during the draft to acquire the second-round pick that became Jeremy Tyler, which came after foiled attempts to spend $3 million to get an additional first-rounder, which came after all the spending of the previous months. Paying David Lee some $80 million to come, paying Don Nelson another $6 million to stay away, giving up an unknown ownership share to get Jerry West to join the front office, and – oh, yeah – heading the group that paid a league-record $450 million to get the Warriors in the first place.

Joe Lacob and Peter Guber promised a serious financial commitment upon taking control last November, and they have delivered. In a time of economic hardship for many around them, the Warriors have signed huge contracts, fired a high-paid coach with a year left on his contract, handed over a portion of the team to land West, and made a bold strike in the draft. All in less than a year, with the understanding that Lacob and Guber were far enough along in buying the franchise last summer that they probably could have scuttled the Lee sign-and-trade that officially went down on the watch of predecessor Chris Cohan.

Golden State was in such buyer’s mode Thursday that the $2 million sent to the Bobcats for Tyler as the No. 39 pick was actually the fallback. The Warriors, Lacob said, had tried to get another pick in the second half of the first round, likely at the going-rate cost of $3 million, which would have meant a second guaranteed contract after drafting Klay Thompson at 11. Nothing materialized, Lacob told NBA.com, because potential trade partners wanted players in return, not money.

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Nellie Stirs Warriors’ Plot

March 22, 2011  ·  1:58PM

HANG TIME HEADQUARTERS – As if things weren’t interesting enough for the Golden State Warriors this season, former Warriors coach Don Nelson is weighing in now.

And if there is any validity to what he has to say, more on that in a second, then the new ownership situation for the Warriors couldn’t have come at a better time.

In a Monday night interview on “Chronicle Live” on CSN Bay Area, Nelson aired some of his own dirty laundry and that of many others. You have to read some of it to believe it, courtesy of Rusty Simmons of the San Francisco Chronicle:

In his most provocative comment, Nelson seemed to say he was fired primarily for asking center Andris Biedrins to shoot his free throws underhanded. Biedrins shot an NBA-worst 16 percent in 2009-10, Nelson’s final season.

“I got fired when I asked him to (shoot underhanded),” Nelson said, and there was no follow-up question. Nelson maintained that he had Rick Barry lined up to instruct Biedrins.

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