Theus to be Kings' head coach

[PurpleHaze]

Sacttownfan said it ALL, but it's also worth adding...

In just his second year as head coach, Theus led NMSU to their 17th NCAA Tournament, their first tournament appearance since 1999, and coached NMSU to its 14th conference tournament title which earned them an automatic bid into the NCAA tournament finishing the season 26-9. In his first season, Theus turned the Aggies from a 6-24 squad in 2004-05 to a 16-14 team in the 2005-06 season --matching the fifth best turn-around for a Division-I men's basketball team. He was also named one of the nations 25 top NCAA basketball coach recruiters.

 

[Bricklayer]

While not arguing that I'm sure Theus will be successful (altho I'm hoping) and I do believe it's a huge gamble, but Theus is different from those 3 college coaches in one way. None of them ever played in the NBA, if I'm not mistaken.

This is what we are gambling on I hope. Of course on the other hand he has vastly less coaching experience, at any pertinent level of basketball then..well, almost anyone. Comparatively Whiz was more experienced. Theus has exactly 2 years of head coaching expereince, ANYWHERE (that matters), and 2 as an assistant coach in college.

So yeah, Reggie was a former player, and should get some of that former player discount (although again he's not the style of former player that has consistently turned into top NBA coaches, so there is some fuzzy there). But on the other hand he's very inexperienced as a coach, or assistant coach. Certainly as an NBA coach.

Its hard to figure out the balance there. Has an advantage that few of the other college coaches have had (playing), but is much less experienced than the other college coaches have been. Imagine, for instance, what his qualifications would have looked like if he was not a former NBA player-- he would have been a joke. 2 years at small program, 2 years as college assistant. 10 years as wannabe model/actor. Then spin that around and imagine what his qualifications would be if you eliminated the college coaching...former player from long ago, no subsequent NBA experience of any kind. So you basically are piling two weak resumes on top of each other and hoping they add up to one strong one.

 

[CaminoChaos]

One thing I noticed is New Mexico State was top 25 in Points, Reb., FG%, 3pt% and Ast

 

[Arena Skeptic]

While not arguing that I'm sure Theus will be successful (altho I'm hoping) and I do believe it's a huge gamble, but Theus is different from those 3 college coaches in one way. None of them ever played in the NBA, if I'm not mistaken.

I even sort of granted that point, actually. But even at that, there is one attribute the former players seem to have that Reggie lacks: Most of them were known as defensive players. A quick glance at the few may confirm that: Phil Jackson, Rick Adelman, Don Nelson, Pat Riley, Avery Johnson...

I never really thought that highly of Theus as a player, but I'd say he was in about the same middling company as these names. Good enough to stick around, not really that good. A valid contributor.

I personally think they took so long to make this decision that it hurt them, and now it looks like they simply hired their friend. I really want my coach to have NBA assistant credentials. Push comes to shove, I'd have angled for Porter.

I heard way too much of Rick Barry talk, though. He was an awesome player, and just a royal, uh, prig (feel free to translate this last word in the manner you see fit). No matter how long the list got, he'd have been near the bottom of it the entire time for me. Just so arrogant. He was the best player on the floor about 90% of the time, and he never let anyone forget it. Very alienating.

 

[ultraman206]

Is anyone else just glad we finally hired a coach and can just move on to the next order of business?

 

[Kingster]

Who are the team leaders then?

Martin? Miller? Cisco? John? SAR? KT? Uh, no to all counts.

You may not like it, but Mike and Ron ARE the team leaders right now.

No matter how much you want them gone, they are on the team right now so that is what the coach has to deal with.

You keep operating in this hypothetical vacuum (this team has no leaders, I don't want ...., etc.) where the rest of us are addressing what is going on in the real world. Mike and Ron are the two team leaders for now. Until that changes, just deal with it, OK?

We have no team leaders. I think that's pretty obvious.

 

[Vlade4GM]

Just listening to Grant Nappear, that guy is a big time a-hole to his callers.

 

[BMiller52]

Just listening to Grant Nappear, that guy is a big time a-hole to his callers.

I know. It was hilarious how he blew up at the one guy who said the Kings need a really good player. Then Grant started screaming and said "THIS GUY IS THE TYPE GUY WHO THINKS YOU CAN JUST TRADE KENNY THOMAS AND RONNIE PRICE FOR PORTLAND'S NUMBER 1 PICK!!!!!!!!!" I fell out of my chair because I was laughing so hard.

 

[Vlade4GM]

The least he can do is hear people out before he blows up on them. He says he has a right to his opinion but apparently the callers don't if they have a different one than him.

 

[PurpleHaze]

The worst thing about Grant Napear is he's the ultimate homer, but he claims he's not. The second worst thing is he's a false homer because he's tied to the Kings organization at the hip, but really could care less about anything in Sacramento since he's a rabid New York City sports fan with typical east coast bias. The third worst thing about Napear is he's fast to attack a "nobody caller" but never goes off on any professional colleagues - his so called peers. How the arrogant arse has lasted over 20 years in Sacramento radio/TV I'll never know.

 

[Warhawk]

We have no team leaders. I think that's pretty obvious.

Sure we do. They may not be good leaders, or effective ones, but they are leaders nonetheless.

 

[Bricklayer]

Sure we do. They may not be good leaders, or effective ones, but they are leaders nonetheless.

That's semantics after a while. We have no effective leaders, hence we have no leaders. throw 12 wallflowers in a room and tell them to pick a leader and they will, but it doesn't mean that person is remotely qualified as a leader other than by happenstance.

We may tecnically have leaders, just because nay group has leaders. But we have no leaderSHIP.

 

[Warhawk]

That's semantics after a while. We have no effective leaders, hence we have no leaders. throw 12 wallflowers in a room and tell them to pick a leader and they will, but it doesn't mean that person is remotely qualified as a leader other than by happenstance.

We may tecnically have leaders, just because nay group has leaders. But we have no leaderSHIP.

Of course it is. But when Reggie comes to town and wants to get moving, he went to the two people that most closely resemble team leaders and speaks with them first. Such as they are, Bibby and Artest ARE the team leaders. I didn't say they were good at it or that I want it to stay that way, but it is what it is....

I have never seen or heard anyone on the team or off it that has labeled any other player as a team leader. Everyone points to Bibby and Artest. Players themselves, coaches, journalists, everyone.

 

[Kingster]

The least he can do is hear people out before he blows up on them. He says he has a right to his opinion but apparently the callers don't if they have a different one than him.

Couldn't agree more. He and Mike start talking before the caller gets half-way through a sentence, much less their complete thought on something. They are rude.