http://sports.yahoo.com/wnba/news?slug=ap-sparks-bibby&prov=ap&type=lgns
LA Sparks hire former USC coach Henry BibbyBy RYAN PEARSON, Associated Press Writer
April 7, 2005
LOS ANGELES (AP) -- The Los Angeles Sparks hired Henry Bibby as their head coach, giving him a new start in Southern California four months after he was fired from USC.
Sparks general manager Penny Toler said the team wanted someone without WNBA experience.
``It's LA. We want something new and we want something fresh,'' she said Thursday. ``He has a confidence that can lead this team, because we have a lot of big, strong personalities on this team.''
Bibby, hired Wednesday, got a two-year deal but terms weren't disclosed. The former NBA player and father of Sacramento Kings guard Mike Bibby was fired four games into last season after two straight losing seasons.
He coached USC for eight seasons, including 2000-01, when the team went 24-10 and made it to the regional final in the NCAA tournament. His overall record was 131-111.
``I really thought I was part of a family,'' Bibby told The Associated Press on Thursday, referring to USC. ``And then I found out I'm not part of that family, so you really find out who your friends are.''
The 55-year-old coach said he put energy into prodding his USC players to make it to class on time and graduate, and would now be able to spend more time focusing on strategy and conditioning.
``I'm working now with guys that get paid to play basketball,'' he said. ``You've got to come to play ball now. This is all ball.''
It will be Bibby's first time coaching women. He said that from his experience at youth basketball camps he operates in California, he said he thought female players were ``more focused when they play, they learn quicker, they're not all over the place like the guys.''
Bibby said he had already developed an offensive scheme for the Sparks, but was still working on his plan for defense.
The Sparks are centered around Lisa Leslie, the WNBA's Most Valuable Player last season after she led the league in rebounds (9.9) and blocked shots (2.88) and finished third in scoring (17.6).
Last month, the team traded forward DeLisha Milton-Jones for three-time All-Star Chamique Holdsclaw, who averaged 18.3 points and 9.0 rebounds in six seasons with the Washington Mystics. ``We feel we have a championship team, and we wanted to put somebody in that's been there and done that,'' Toler said. ``I like his style, because his style even at 'SC was race up and down the floor, a fast-breaking team.'' Sparks coach Michael Cooper resigned last July to become a Denver Nuggets assistant. The team was led by interim coaches Karleen Thompson and Ryan Weisenberg through last season, finishing 25-9 but losing to Sacramento in the first round of the playoffs.
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Interesting.......
LA Sparks hire former USC coach Henry BibbyBy RYAN PEARSON, Associated Press Writer
April 7, 2005
LOS ANGELES (AP) -- The Los Angeles Sparks hired Henry Bibby as their head coach, giving him a new start in Southern California four months after he was fired from USC.
Sparks general manager Penny Toler said the team wanted someone without WNBA experience.
``It's LA. We want something new and we want something fresh,'' she said Thursday. ``He has a confidence that can lead this team, because we have a lot of big, strong personalities on this team.''
Bibby, hired Wednesday, got a two-year deal but terms weren't disclosed. The former NBA player and father of Sacramento Kings guard Mike Bibby was fired four games into last season after two straight losing seasons.
He coached USC for eight seasons, including 2000-01, when the team went 24-10 and made it to the regional final in the NCAA tournament. His overall record was 131-111.
``I really thought I was part of a family,'' Bibby told The Associated Press on Thursday, referring to USC. ``And then I found out I'm not part of that family, so you really find out who your friends are.''
The 55-year-old coach said he put energy into prodding his USC players to make it to class on time and graduate, and would now be able to spend more time focusing on strategy and conditioning.
``I'm working now with guys that get paid to play basketball,'' he said. ``You've got to come to play ball now. This is all ball.''
It will be Bibby's first time coaching women. He said that from his experience at youth basketball camps he operates in California, he said he thought female players were ``more focused when they play, they learn quicker, they're not all over the place like the guys.''
Bibby said he had already developed an offensive scheme for the Sparks, but was still working on his plan for defense.
The Sparks are centered around Lisa Leslie, the WNBA's Most Valuable Player last season after she led the league in rebounds (9.9) and blocked shots (2.88) and finished third in scoring (17.6).
Last month, the team traded forward DeLisha Milton-Jones for three-time All-Star Chamique Holdsclaw, who averaged 18.3 points and 9.0 rebounds in six seasons with the Washington Mystics. ``We feel we have a championship team, and we wanted to put somebody in that's been there and done that,'' Toler said. ``I like his style, because his style even at 'SC was race up and down the floor, a fast-breaking team.'' Sparks coach Michael Cooper resigned last July to become a Denver Nuggets assistant. The team was led by interim coaches Karleen Thompson and Ryan Weisenberg through last season, finishing 25-9 but losing to Sacramento in the first round of the playoffs.
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Interesting.......
