luckydevil
June-18th-2003, 05:56 PM
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A10503-2003Jun18.html
E. Jordan To Be Named Next Coach of Wizards
By Steve Wyche
Washington Post Staff Writer
Wednesday, June 18, 2003; 6:12 PM
Eddie Jordan, a Washington native who played at Carroll High School, will be named head coach of the Washington Wizards Thursday, league sources confirmed. Jordan, who has spent the past four seasons as the lead assistant coach with the New Jersey Nets, accepted the position today after interviewing with team owner Abe Pollin and president Sudan O'Malley.
Sources said Jordan agreed to a four-year deal, but financial terms were unavailable. Pollin, O'Malley and Jordan could not be reached for comment.
By landing Jordan, the Wizards fill a major organizational void, left vacant when Pollin fired Doug Collins in late May. Washington also must hire a president of basketball operations, but Jordan felt comfortable enough with Pollin's proposal to accept the job without having his direct supervisor in place.
Jordan had been courted not only by the Wizards but also by the Philadelphia 76ers. He interviewed with the 76ers Tuesday but was not offered the job. The Nets let Jordan know they would do whatever they could to keep him as Byron Scott's top assistant -- one source said an overture of making Jordan the highest paid assistant in the league was discussed -- but Jordan's desire to be a head coach again made that a mute point.
Jordan coached the Sacramento Kings for the final 15 games of the 1996-97 season and the entire 1998-1998 season after spending five years as an assistant with the Kings. Jordan then left Sacramento for New Jersey.
Pollin, spurned by former Philadelphia Coach Larry Brown and ex-New York Knicks Coach Jeff Van Gundy, targeted Jordan after several strong recommendations from league officials. Over the past week, he began pursuit of the coach many in the NBA credit for establishing the Princeton-style, ball-movement offense in New Jersey and the development of power forward Kenyon Martin.
Pollin waited until the Nets finished the NBA championship series with the San Antonio Spurs -- the Nets lost four games to two -- before setting an interview with Jordan.
Pollin escorted Jordan around the team's MCI Center facilities today, had him meet with some of the existing staff and the two watched some of the workout of Georgia small forward Jarvis Hayes, a potential draft pick by the Wizards, who hold the No. 10 selection.
© 2003 The Washington Post Company
E. Jordan To Be Named Next Coach of Wizards
By Steve Wyche
Washington Post Staff Writer
Wednesday, June 18, 2003; 6:12 PM
Eddie Jordan, a Washington native who played at Carroll High School, will be named head coach of the Washington Wizards Thursday, league sources confirmed. Jordan, who has spent the past four seasons as the lead assistant coach with the New Jersey Nets, accepted the position today after interviewing with team owner Abe Pollin and president Sudan O'Malley.
Sources said Jordan agreed to a four-year deal, but financial terms were unavailable. Pollin, O'Malley and Jordan could not be reached for comment.
By landing Jordan, the Wizards fill a major organizational void, left vacant when Pollin fired Doug Collins in late May. Washington also must hire a president of basketball operations, but Jordan felt comfortable enough with Pollin's proposal to accept the job without having his direct supervisor in place.
Jordan had been courted not only by the Wizards but also by the Philadelphia 76ers. He interviewed with the 76ers Tuesday but was not offered the job. The Nets let Jordan know they would do whatever they could to keep him as Byron Scott's top assistant -- one source said an overture of making Jordan the highest paid assistant in the league was discussed -- but Jordan's desire to be a head coach again made that a mute point.
Jordan coached the Sacramento Kings for the final 15 games of the 1996-97 season and the entire 1998-1998 season after spending five years as an assistant with the Kings. Jordan then left Sacramento for New Jersey.
Pollin, spurned by former Philadelphia Coach Larry Brown and ex-New York Knicks Coach Jeff Van Gundy, targeted Jordan after several strong recommendations from league officials. Over the past week, he began pursuit of the coach many in the NBA credit for establishing the Princeton-style, ball-movement offense in New Jersey and the development of power forward Kenyon Martin.
Pollin waited until the Nets finished the NBA championship series with the San Antonio Spurs -- the Nets lost four games to two -- before setting an interview with Jordan.
Pollin escorted Jordan around the team's MCI Center facilities today, had him meet with some of the existing staff and the two watched some of the workout of Georgia small forward Jarvis Hayes, a potential draft pick by the Wizards, who hold the No. 10 selection.
© 2003 The Washington Post Company