atxrocker
Starter
Marty Mac's World: Only certainty is Kings must choose wisely
By Martin McNeal -- Bee Sports Columnist
The questions around the Kings' practice facility these days generally have the same tone.
"Who is going to be the coach?"
Is it really going to be (Monarchs) coach (John) Whisenant?"
"It's not really going to be Whisenant, is it?"
The players don't know. The front-office personnel don't know. The basketball operations staff doesn't know.
And I certainly don't know. If the Maloof family knows, it isn't saying.
Until the announcement comes that Whisenant is hired as Rick Adelman's replacement, it won't be believed here. In my mind, the Maloofs are too bright to not listen to president of basketball operations Geoff Petrie on this one, meaning they wouldn't entrust their franchise to a man who hasn't been a major-college or NBA head coach.
One thing the Maloofs should recognize is the Kings do not have any reasonable facsimiles of Yolanda Griffith, DeMya Walker or Rebekkah Brunson, to name a few.
The only big, laterally quick high jumper on the Kings is Jamal Sampson. Whisenant's strength indeed might be defense, but until the players change, the Kings will continue to allow expressway-like lanes to the hoop.
The Maloofs also need to recognize they own the only NBA team with a head-coaching vacancy. The world is theirs. Hire Whisenant if you must, but not after interviewing only Memphis assistant Eric Musselman and Golden State assistant Mario Elie.
Musselman, who had a 75-89 record in two seasons as the Warriors' head coach, was scheduled for a second interview. He also has been an assistant with the Minnesota Timberwolves, Atlanta Hawks and Orlando Magic.
Musselman's Warriors played hard - despite many of his players disliking him and the way he talked to them.
It could be the Maloofs have come to their senses and realize the grief they'll bring upon themselves by moving Whisenant to the Kings. Some say it would make more sense to make Whisenant an assistant, but who wants to be the head coach with the owner's boy lying in the cut?
Who's to say Whisenant would even want to be an assistant?
Another thought: Whisenant could do a great job with a talented Kings team and have a 50-win season.
He could be as successful as the great, hoops-hyped Larry Brown was dreadful this past season with the New York Knicks.
And at least a few of the Kings realize this. They are dealing with an NBA novice and, to some, that raises eyebrows. They also understand their future boss might be reading their comments, so readers should take that under consideration.
Point guard Mike Bibby is the longest-tenured King. Should the move go through, he said, he'll have to wait and see just like everyone else how Whisenant handles his business.
"It's not like I've seen him coach in the league," Bibby said this week, "because he hasn't coached in the league. So I really have nothing to judge him on. You never really know how things are with coaches. You can hire a supposedly great coach and things can go into the tank, and you can hire a mediocre coach and it can work out great."
Fellow veteran Corliss Williamson said of Whisenant: "You've got to respect a man who wins a championship on the professional level. I don't care if it was women's or men's or what. That's an accomplishment."
Whisenant, a longtime Maloof family friend, again will prove, should he get the job, that there's nothing like a hookup. Without that hookup, he doesn't get an interview, much less a job. One way or another, the words "I told you so" will be in full force. Either the Maloofs will say them, or they'll be hearing them.
http://www.sacbee.com/content/sports/basketball/kings/story/14262741p-15075905c.html
By Martin McNeal -- Bee Sports Columnist
The questions around the Kings' practice facility these days generally have the same tone.
"Who is going to be the coach?"
Is it really going to be (Monarchs) coach (John) Whisenant?"
"It's not really going to be Whisenant, is it?"
The players don't know. The front-office personnel don't know. The basketball operations staff doesn't know.
And I certainly don't know. If the Maloof family knows, it isn't saying.
Until the announcement comes that Whisenant is hired as Rick Adelman's replacement, it won't be believed here. In my mind, the Maloofs are too bright to not listen to president of basketball operations Geoff Petrie on this one, meaning they wouldn't entrust their franchise to a man who hasn't been a major-college or NBA head coach.
One thing the Maloofs should recognize is the Kings do not have any reasonable facsimiles of Yolanda Griffith, DeMya Walker or Rebekkah Brunson, to name a few.
The only big, laterally quick high jumper on the Kings is Jamal Sampson. Whisenant's strength indeed might be defense, but until the players change, the Kings will continue to allow expressway-like lanes to the hoop.
The Maloofs also need to recognize they own the only NBA team with a head-coaching vacancy. The world is theirs. Hire Whisenant if you must, but not after interviewing only Memphis assistant Eric Musselman and Golden State assistant Mario Elie.
Musselman, who had a 75-89 record in two seasons as the Warriors' head coach, was scheduled for a second interview. He also has been an assistant with the Minnesota Timberwolves, Atlanta Hawks and Orlando Magic.
Musselman's Warriors played hard - despite many of his players disliking him and the way he talked to them.
It could be the Maloofs have come to their senses and realize the grief they'll bring upon themselves by moving Whisenant to the Kings. Some say it would make more sense to make Whisenant an assistant, but who wants to be the head coach with the owner's boy lying in the cut?
Who's to say Whisenant would even want to be an assistant?
Another thought: Whisenant could do a great job with a talented Kings team and have a 50-win season.
He could be as successful as the great, hoops-hyped Larry Brown was dreadful this past season with the New York Knicks.
And at least a few of the Kings realize this. They are dealing with an NBA novice and, to some, that raises eyebrows. They also understand their future boss might be reading their comments, so readers should take that under consideration.
Point guard Mike Bibby is the longest-tenured King. Should the move go through, he said, he'll have to wait and see just like everyone else how Whisenant handles his business.
"It's not like I've seen him coach in the league," Bibby said this week, "because he hasn't coached in the league. So I really have nothing to judge him on. You never really know how things are with coaches. You can hire a supposedly great coach and things can go into the tank, and you can hire a mediocre coach and it can work out great."
Fellow veteran Corliss Williamson said of Whisenant: "You've got to respect a man who wins a championship on the professional level. I don't care if it was women's or men's or what. That's an accomplishment."
Whisenant, a longtime Maloof family friend, again will prove, should he get the job, that there's nothing like a hookup. Without that hookup, he doesn't get an interview, much less a job. One way or another, the words "I told you so" will be in full force. Either the Maloofs will say them, or they'll be hearing them.
http://www.sacbee.com/content/sports/basketball/kings/story/14262741p-15075905c.html
Last edited by a moderator:
The horror! 2 NBA players who have an open mind and one clearly saying he could play for him. Props to both. 
