http://www.sacbee.com/content/sports/columns/voisin/story/14261248p-15074871c.html
By Ailene Voisin
A year ago, this would have been crazy. Heck, a year ago, acquiring Ron Artest would have been absolutely crazy. But circumstances change. Coaches win titles. Coaches get fired. Coaches can coach or they can't. So why not Whiz?
Because he coaches women?
Because he befriends the Maloofs?
Those arguments win only in chat rooms. In the only arena that matters -- and that would be Arco -- there isn't a more intriguing and/or controversial name on the Kings' short list than John Whisenant. Let's face it: Sex appeal this offseason is like "The Sopranos" -- on hiatus. Phil Jackson, Gregg Popovich, Pat Riley and Jerry Sloan are on someone else's payroll. Currently, the same goes for Larry Brown. And neither Geoff Petrie nor the Maloofs have mustered any enthusiasm for Don Nelson, the only other high-profile candidate on the market.
With the elites unavailable, that leaves the unprovens, the assistants, the future stars, whoever they may be. And at this point, it's all guesswork. Eric Musselman and Mario Elie, both of whom interviewed for the vacancy this past week, are respected NBA personalities with solid backgrounds and promising futures. Marc Iavaroni, who remains a personal favorite of new Toronto Raptors general manager Bryan Colangelo, probably gets a call. Recalling how the methodical Petrie operates in these situations, a mystery candidate or two also figures to emerge.
"No matter who you get," Petrie cautioned Friday from Las Vegas, "generally it's not a sure thing, so it's best to look around. We're in the process of scheduling other interviews, though if Joe and Gavin find somebody they really like, I don't know how much farther they would go. There's a little bit of the 'I'll know it when I see it' to all this."
So why not stop the whispering?
We all know whom the Maloofs like.
We all know whom they envision on their sideline.
Unless someone else suddenly pops out of the birthday cake, the job belongs to Whisenant, the engaging, increasingly impressive Monarchs coach. Stand down, guys. For all his detractors among Kings fans -- and, initially, he probably would be unpopular among the male masses -- the man received a standing ovation when he strolled into the arena for the WNBA season opener. The Monarchs' championship, in fact, merely affirmed what the Maloofs long have believed -- namely that, while Whisenant made his millions in real estate, he is even better with a whistle, his atypical coaching background notwithstanding. (Unlike most older NBA head-coaching candidates, he never has endured the typical tormented seasons with the Clippers, Nets, Blazers, Warriors, etc., or signed on for an assistant coaching apprenticeship under Jackson, Riley, Popovich, Sloan).
So what happens when he demands that Mike Bibby defend the perimeter? The first time he benches Brad Miller? Would the male pros respond? Would they even listen?
In all probability, the Kings would react the way their female counterparts did four seasons ago when Whisenant replaced Maura McHugh -- with a healthy dose of skepticism and the need to be convinced that, above all else, their coach is a leader. "He had a cocky swagger when he first got here," Monarchs center Yolanda Griffith recently told The Bee. "We didn't get along. I have a lot of respect for him now."
Whisenant's successor with the Monarchs is another matter. (Jerry Reynolds? Michael Cooper?) But back to Whiz, and the reasons he would make an interesting, if risky choice, among them: 1. He emphasizes defense and an up-tempo style; 2. he has a terrific demeanor and can be both forceful and demanding without embarrassing or belittling players; 3. he is flexible and receptive to change, and much as Popovich has in recent days, has spoken of adapting offensively as the game evolves; and 4. the Maloofs can communicate with him. Additionally, while Petrie long has maintained a distance from the Monarchs -- for reasons that remain curious -- he seems willing to abide by the Maloofs' ultimate coaching decision.
"I'm here to give them background, to give the pros and cons," Petrie said, "but they have to embrace the person and be comfortable with their choice. That's the same way Jerry Buss makes (coaching decisions), and (former Kings owner) Jim Thomas made it, and in my opinion, that's the way it should be." These coaching searches tend to be fluid. Today's favorite can be tomorrow's casualty. But unless that cake explodes with a surprise party, Whiz is the guy. Sign him to a short-term deal -- hey, no coach is sacred -- and call the news conference
By Ailene Voisin
A year ago, this would have been crazy. Heck, a year ago, acquiring Ron Artest would have been absolutely crazy. But circumstances change. Coaches win titles. Coaches get fired. Coaches can coach or they can't. So why not Whiz?
Because he coaches women?
Because he befriends the Maloofs?
Those arguments win only in chat rooms. In the only arena that matters -- and that would be Arco -- there isn't a more intriguing and/or controversial name on the Kings' short list than John Whisenant. Let's face it: Sex appeal this offseason is like "The Sopranos" -- on hiatus. Phil Jackson, Gregg Popovich, Pat Riley and Jerry Sloan are on someone else's payroll. Currently, the same goes for Larry Brown. And neither Geoff Petrie nor the Maloofs have mustered any enthusiasm for Don Nelson, the only other high-profile candidate on the market.
With the elites unavailable, that leaves the unprovens, the assistants, the future stars, whoever they may be. And at this point, it's all guesswork. Eric Musselman and Mario Elie, both of whom interviewed for the vacancy this past week, are respected NBA personalities with solid backgrounds and promising futures. Marc Iavaroni, who remains a personal favorite of new Toronto Raptors general manager Bryan Colangelo, probably gets a call. Recalling how the methodical Petrie operates in these situations, a mystery candidate or two also figures to emerge.
"No matter who you get," Petrie cautioned Friday from Las Vegas, "generally it's not a sure thing, so it's best to look around. We're in the process of scheduling other interviews, though if Joe and Gavin find somebody they really like, I don't know how much farther they would go. There's a little bit of the 'I'll know it when I see it' to all this."
So why not stop the whispering?
We all know whom the Maloofs like.
We all know whom they envision on their sideline.
Unless someone else suddenly pops out of the birthday cake, the job belongs to Whisenant, the engaging, increasingly impressive Monarchs coach. Stand down, guys. For all his detractors among Kings fans -- and, initially, he probably would be unpopular among the male masses -- the man received a standing ovation when he strolled into the arena for the WNBA season opener. The Monarchs' championship, in fact, merely affirmed what the Maloofs long have believed -- namely that, while Whisenant made his millions in real estate, he is even better with a whistle, his atypical coaching background notwithstanding. (Unlike most older NBA head-coaching candidates, he never has endured the typical tormented seasons with the Clippers, Nets, Blazers, Warriors, etc., or signed on for an assistant coaching apprenticeship under Jackson, Riley, Popovich, Sloan).
So what happens when he demands that Mike Bibby defend the perimeter? The first time he benches Brad Miller? Would the male pros respond? Would they even listen?
In all probability, the Kings would react the way their female counterparts did four seasons ago when Whisenant replaced Maura McHugh -- with a healthy dose of skepticism and the need to be convinced that, above all else, their coach is a leader. "He had a cocky swagger when he first got here," Monarchs center Yolanda Griffith recently told The Bee. "We didn't get along. I have a lot of respect for him now."
Whisenant's successor with the Monarchs is another matter. (Jerry Reynolds? Michael Cooper?) But back to Whiz, and the reasons he would make an interesting, if risky choice, among them: 1. He emphasizes defense and an up-tempo style; 2. he has a terrific demeanor and can be both forceful and demanding without embarrassing or belittling players; 3. he is flexible and receptive to change, and much as Popovich has in recent days, has spoken of adapting offensively as the game evolves; and 4. the Maloofs can communicate with him. Additionally, while Petrie long has maintained a distance from the Monarchs -- for reasons that remain curious -- he seems willing to abide by the Maloofs' ultimate coaching decision.
"I'm here to give them background, to give the pros and cons," Petrie said, "but they have to embrace the person and be comfortable with their choice. That's the same way Jerry Buss makes (coaching decisions), and (former Kings owner) Jim Thomas made it, and in my opinion, that's the way it should be." These coaching searches tend to be fluid. Today's favorite can be tomorrow's casualty. But unless that cake explodes with a surprise party, Whiz is the guy. Sign him to a short-term deal -- hey, no coach is sacred -- and call the news conference
