http://www.sacbee.com/kings/story/227067.html
Brown will not initiate contact
The Hall of Fame coach still was waiting for a call from Sacramento.
By Sam Amick - Bee Staff Writer
Last Updated 12:43 am PDT Sunday, June 17, 2007
Story appeared in SPORTS section, Page C1
If the first day was any indication, the prospect of Larry Brown coaching the Kings seemed about as likely as Ohio State center Greg Oden coming to Sacramento with the No. 10 pick in the upcoming NBA draft.
One day after the Hall of Fame coach expressed an interest in the Kings' vacancy, neither party called the other to facilitate a discussion. Reached at his Philadelphia home late Saturday night, Brown said he wouldn't be the first one to call. Kings basketball president Geoff Petrie and co-owner Gavin Maloof did not return calls Saturday evening for comment.
"I don't think it's my place to go after a job," Brown said while watching the College World Series. "I have too much respect for Geoff and people like that to put my name out there and go after it. I'm not comfortable doing that, and ... if they have an interest and want to pursue it, that's entirely up to them."
As Brown joked, he has had to get over being spurned by Petrie before. As an assistant coach at North Carolina, Brown recruited Petrie when he was in high school. But the lanky shooter opted for Princeton en route to his NBA career. This time, Brown is by far the most elite of the interested parties.
The remaining candidates appear to be Los Angeles Lakers assistant Brian Shaw, Kings assistant Scott Brooks and New Mexico State coach and former King Reggie Theus -- none of whom has NBA head- coaching experience. Brooks has been a fill-in head coach for six games in Denver and Sacramento, going 2-4.
And even though Brown was unable to land head-coaching jobs this offseason in Charlotte and Memphis, he said the Kings must be the ones calling.
"I'm 66 years old," said Brown, who is the only coach to have won championships in college and the NBA. "I've been in the league coaching a long, long time, and people know what I've done -- both good and bad. If there's an interest, they'll go forward.
"Geoff Petrie's about as good as they come. And if he thinks it's the right thing to do, I'm sure he'll do it. If not, I respect that. I've got a job helping the Sixers with the draft ... . I just miss coaching and miss it terribly. That's basically where I'm at."
While Shaw, Brooks, Theus and Lakers assistant Kurt Rambis are the only candidates to have received second interviews, Rambis is believed to be out of the running. Shaw and Theus interviewed with the entire Maloof family Friday in Las Vegas, and Brooks' second interview came with Joe and Gavin Maloof and Petrie in Las Vegas on June 11. A decision is not expected until the middle of this week, at the earliest.
Brown reiterated that his inspiration to rejoin the coaching ranks was two-fold. Not only is this his longest stint away from the sideline (14 months) in his coaching career, but his 23-59 record with the New York Knicks in the 2005-06 season is not the way he prefers to end an otherwise legendary career. If he became the Kings' coach, Brown said, he would not relocate his family but is more than willing to deal with the separation.
"My family's happy here, so whatever happens happens," he said. "I figure things always happen for the right reasons, and I'm going to move on either way."
About the writer: The Bee's Sam Amick can be reached at samick@ sacbee.com.
Brown will not initiate contact
The Hall of Fame coach still was waiting for a call from Sacramento.
By Sam Amick - Bee Staff Writer
Last Updated 12:43 am PDT Sunday, June 17, 2007
Story appeared in SPORTS section, Page C1
If the first day was any indication, the prospect of Larry Brown coaching the Kings seemed about as likely as Ohio State center Greg Oden coming to Sacramento with the No. 10 pick in the upcoming NBA draft.
One day after the Hall of Fame coach expressed an interest in the Kings' vacancy, neither party called the other to facilitate a discussion. Reached at his Philadelphia home late Saturday night, Brown said he wouldn't be the first one to call. Kings basketball president Geoff Petrie and co-owner Gavin Maloof did not return calls Saturday evening for comment.
"I don't think it's my place to go after a job," Brown said while watching the College World Series. "I have too much respect for Geoff and people like that to put my name out there and go after it. I'm not comfortable doing that, and ... if they have an interest and want to pursue it, that's entirely up to them."
As Brown joked, he has had to get over being spurned by Petrie before. As an assistant coach at North Carolina, Brown recruited Petrie when he was in high school. But the lanky shooter opted for Princeton en route to his NBA career. This time, Brown is by far the most elite of the interested parties.
The remaining candidates appear to be Los Angeles Lakers assistant Brian Shaw, Kings assistant Scott Brooks and New Mexico State coach and former King Reggie Theus -- none of whom has NBA head- coaching experience. Brooks has been a fill-in head coach for six games in Denver and Sacramento, going 2-4.
And even though Brown was unable to land head-coaching jobs this offseason in Charlotte and Memphis, he said the Kings must be the ones calling.
"I'm 66 years old," said Brown, who is the only coach to have won championships in college and the NBA. "I've been in the league coaching a long, long time, and people know what I've done -- both good and bad. If there's an interest, they'll go forward.
"Geoff Petrie's about as good as they come. And if he thinks it's the right thing to do, I'm sure he'll do it. If not, I respect that. I've got a job helping the Sixers with the draft ... . I just miss coaching and miss it terribly. That's basically where I'm at."
While Shaw, Brooks, Theus and Lakers assistant Kurt Rambis are the only candidates to have received second interviews, Rambis is believed to be out of the running. Shaw and Theus interviewed with the entire Maloof family Friday in Las Vegas, and Brooks' second interview came with Joe and Gavin Maloof and Petrie in Las Vegas on June 11. A decision is not expected until the middle of this week, at the earliest.
Brown reiterated that his inspiration to rejoin the coaching ranks was two-fold. Not only is this his longest stint away from the sideline (14 months) in his coaching career, but his 23-59 record with the New York Knicks in the 2005-06 season is not the way he prefers to end an otherwise legendary career. If he became the Kings' coach, Brown said, he would not relocate his family but is more than willing to deal with the separation.
"My family's happy here, so whatever happens happens," he said. "I figure things always happen for the right reasons, and I'm going to move on either way."
About the writer: The Bee's Sam Amick can be reached at samick@ sacbee.com.
