http://www.sacbee.com/content/sports/story/14261815p-15075308c.html
Whisenant works while he waits
By Sam Amick -- Bee Staff Writer
Published 12:01 am PDT Tuesday, May 30, 2006
John Whisenant has done all he can.
The Monarchs' coach and general manager who keeps hearing he has been chosen as the Kings' coach returned from his Las Vegas job interview Sunday night, then arrived to the job he knows he has at 6 a.m. Monday. He began preparing for the Monarchs' game against Seattle on Wednesday and getting ready for a midday practice.
All indications remain strong Whisenant will be the next Kings coach, though Whisenant had not been given a verdict as of Monday evening. Kings president of basketball operations Geoff Petrie did not return a call for comment.
But when and if Whisenant's hiring as the Kings' coach becomes official, he's well-prepared to address the mountain of doubt that will come with the selection. In fact, he already has begun. The man who jokingly referred to himself as "just a taller Maloof" has a long-standing relationship with the family of Kings co-owners Joe and Gavin Maloof that has led to the perception he was their pick all along, though the view is not a new one.
Sources within the Kings organization said Whisenant's presence around the Kings always was noticed. His office window overlooks the practice court, and he frequently was seen observing Kings practice through the blinds or showing up at Arco Arena to watch games. In early December, when the Kings' home loss to Minnesota gave them a 7-10 record and talk of former coach Rick Adelman's tenuous status was growing, many noticed Whisenant sitting courtside and later stopping in at the postgame news conference.
Whisenant, who always has given Adelman high praise as a coach, said he never had his eye on the Kings job. When Whisenant sensed his presence was causing a stir, he stayed away from Kings games.
"With all of the controversy that started in the winter, I just stayed out of town," Whisenant said. "I stay in Albuquerque (N.M.) a lot anyway. But in previous winters, I liked to watch (Kings) games. And anytime there was a good long homestand, I'd come over here and do my Sacramento business.
"This winter, I came seldom just because of all of this controversy, and I didn't want to be any part of it. I didn't want (the Kings' coaches) feeling that I was in the way. It's a hard enough job."
Whisenant said there never was a grand plan to make him the next Kings coach.
"No, it wasn't (the plan)," Whisenant said. "It's Gavin and Joe, basically. I have never pushed them to do this. I have never ever really discussed it in all my years with them. I never said my life's ambition was to be an NBA coach. I understand the perception, but the perception is really not something that we have any control over."
While Whisenant's crowning basketball achievement is last season's WNBA championship with the Monarchs, questions loom regarding his ability to motivate NBA players. But Whisenant is confident in his ability, as is Kings director of player personnel Jerry Reynolds, the former Monarchs general manager who groomed Whisenant for the position.
"My feeling is that, besides a good basketball coach, he's a very smart person," said Reynolds, who has known Whisenant since the two were budding coaches in their early 20s. "There's definitely things that he'll have to learn, but it's not nuclear physics. There's differences in the game and dealing in the caliber of players, no doubt about it. But I don't think it's insurmountable, especially in the league today when you have the ability to hire huge staffs, so a head coach has a lot of help.
"Honestly, I think we have a terrific basketball operations (department), where there's a lot of people who have the ability to help and will."
About the writer: The Bee's Sam Amick can be reached at (916) 326-5582 or samick@sacbee.com.
Whisenant works while he waits
By Sam Amick -- Bee Staff Writer
Published 12:01 am PDT Tuesday, May 30, 2006
John Whisenant has done all he can.
The Monarchs' coach and general manager who keeps hearing he has been chosen as the Kings' coach returned from his Las Vegas job interview Sunday night, then arrived to the job he knows he has at 6 a.m. Monday. He began preparing for the Monarchs' game against Seattle on Wednesday and getting ready for a midday practice.
All indications remain strong Whisenant will be the next Kings coach, though Whisenant had not been given a verdict as of Monday evening. Kings president of basketball operations Geoff Petrie did not return a call for comment.
But when and if Whisenant's hiring as the Kings' coach becomes official, he's well-prepared to address the mountain of doubt that will come with the selection. In fact, he already has begun. The man who jokingly referred to himself as "just a taller Maloof" has a long-standing relationship with the family of Kings co-owners Joe and Gavin Maloof that has led to the perception he was their pick all along, though the view is not a new one.
Sources within the Kings organization said Whisenant's presence around the Kings always was noticed. His office window overlooks the practice court, and he frequently was seen observing Kings practice through the blinds or showing up at Arco Arena to watch games. In early December, when the Kings' home loss to Minnesota gave them a 7-10 record and talk of former coach Rick Adelman's tenuous status was growing, many noticed Whisenant sitting courtside and later stopping in at the postgame news conference.
Whisenant, who always has given Adelman high praise as a coach, said he never had his eye on the Kings job. When Whisenant sensed his presence was causing a stir, he stayed away from Kings games.
"With all of the controversy that started in the winter, I just stayed out of town," Whisenant said. "I stay in Albuquerque (N.M.) a lot anyway. But in previous winters, I liked to watch (Kings) games. And anytime there was a good long homestand, I'd come over here and do my Sacramento business.
"This winter, I came seldom just because of all of this controversy, and I didn't want to be any part of it. I didn't want (the Kings' coaches) feeling that I was in the way. It's a hard enough job."
Whisenant said there never was a grand plan to make him the next Kings coach.
"No, it wasn't (the plan)," Whisenant said. "It's Gavin and Joe, basically. I have never pushed them to do this. I have never ever really discussed it in all my years with them. I never said my life's ambition was to be an NBA coach. I understand the perception, but the perception is really not something that we have any control over."
While Whisenant's crowning basketball achievement is last season's WNBA championship with the Monarchs, questions loom regarding his ability to motivate NBA players. But Whisenant is confident in his ability, as is Kings director of player personnel Jerry Reynolds, the former Monarchs general manager who groomed Whisenant for the position.
"My feeling is that, besides a good basketball coach, he's a very smart person," said Reynolds, who has known Whisenant since the two were budding coaches in their early 20s. "There's definitely things that he'll have to learn, but it's not nuclear physics. There's differences in the game and dealing in the caliber of players, no doubt about it. But I don't think it's insurmountable, especially in the league today when you have the ability to hire huge staffs, so a head coach has a lot of help.
"Honestly, I think we have a terrific basketball operations (department), where there's a lot of people who have the ability to help and will."
About the writer: The Bee's Sam Amick can be reached at (916) 326-5582 or samick@sacbee.com.
