# Kings bringing Musselman back for second interview, is now the front runner!



## Peja Vu (Jun 9, 2002)

I'm praying this is true!

The Kings will interview Memphis assistant and former Golden State head coach Eric Musselman for a second time tonight in Las Vegas, one week after he became the first candidate to interview for the head coaching post.

The decision supports what sources within the Kings organization have confirmed, that Musselman has surpassed Monarchs coach John Whisenant as the frontrunner after it was believed Whisenant had already been chosen by Kings co-owners and longtime friends Joe and Gavin Maloof.


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## Floods (Oct 25, 2005)

Hope we turn out better than Golden State if this is indeed the case.


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## Premier (Oct 30, 2003)

Musselman is a good coach.


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## maKINGSofgreatness (Aug 17, 2003)

All Musselman did was dramatically improve the one of the NBA's most defunct franchises, and they fired him for his trouble. He fits all my original qualifications- young, experienced, defensive (but well-rounded), and not Whisenant. All Kings fans everywhere are in universal agreement that him not being Whis is a huge plus.

I knew as soon as I saw this morning that they were possibly holding out to interview Iavaroni that something was up with the Whiz rumor. Interviewing a couple candidates and then hiring the guy you had pegged all along makes sense, but waiting for someone you have no intention of hiring does not. I hope they do wait and talk to Iavaroni. We have the only head coaching vacancy in the league, Muss and Elie (who I like, too) arn't going anywhere, and the draft is still a month away. 

Does this mean Whiz is out? (I hope so...) 

And finally, go Dallas, the sooner Pheonix is eliminated, the sooner we can get a coach.


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## Captain Obvious (Jun 15, 2003)

If Musselman is such a great coach, why has it taken him so long to find another job? He's been in the mix for a lot of jobs the last couple of years and you have to ask yourself why he hasn't been hired. I think it might have to do with some of the problems he had with players in Golden State. Sacramento obviously has a much different makeup than that young Warriors team, so it would be interesting to see how he handles a veteran team led by a volatile personality in Artest.


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## maKINGSofgreatness (Aug 17, 2003)

Has anyone heard if Elie of Whiz are scheduled for second inteviews??


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## KingByDefault (Dec 6, 2005)

Muss would be a great choice!!!


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## JonMatrix (Apr 8, 2003)

Captain Obvious said:


> If Musselman is such a great coach, why has it taken him so long to find another job? He's been in the mix for a lot of jobs the last couple of years and you have to ask yourself why he hasn't been hired. I think it might have to do with some of the problems he had with players in Golden State. Sacramento obviously has a much different makeup than that young Warriors team, so it would be interesting to see how he handles a veteran team led by a volatile personality in Artest.


He was a front runner for the Magic job last year but the GM at the time, Weisbrod, and ownership disagreed with who should be hired with him or Brian Hill (whom the ownership felt needed a second chance after his disaster of an exit in the late 90's despite never headcoaching anywhere else since)
Weisbrod wanted Musselman to be hired, feeling that maybe he could improve their defense and maybe control Steve Francis (haha). There was also controversy in Atlanta when Terry Stotts was named coach instead of Musselman, who had been an assistant under Lon Kruger.

Musselman's biggest problems were with Arenas always wanting to run the fast break and being slightly out of control on offense and with Erick Dampier only playing when he felt like it. Musselman is more of a half court offense guy who likes to coach a grind it out style of game by making simple plays (he would often make the warriors do layup drills lol i'll find a link later about it). However, Warriors management,especially Chris Mullin the new GM at the time, wanted to play a full court running style with Arenas. When the Arenas situation fell through (he couldn't be resigned as a restricted due to the Bird Rights clause...), management went more to his style...and the next year they won almost as many as the year before. But him and Mullin didn't get along and Mullin wanted "his guy" to get hired...who happened to be the current coach Montgomery.

here's one article: http://www.beyondchron.org/news/index.php?itemid=1508 

He is a good coach but I don't know if Musselman will be able to deal with a team that has mercurial veterans like Wells and Artest on it, seeing as how he had trouble with Arenas and Dampier. However I think both men will like his defense first mentality. Basically I could see this team being one of the more suprisingly good ones in the West next year or one of the suprisingly worst. It all really depends on Wells and Artest. The team also needs to keep Reef.

Let's renew the Laker rivalry! Artest wouldn't let Kobe talk trash about him like that lol


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## Peja Vu (Jun 9, 2002)

All the Maloofs reportedly are on hand as the coach gets a second interview 



> A key element of the interview - which also could take place today - was the expected presence of Colleen and George Maloof, the mother and brother of the Kings' co-owners who were not present for Musselman's first interview. All six members of the Maloof family - Colleen, Joe, Gavin, George, Phil and Adrienne - are believed to have a part in the second go-round.
> 
> Musselman, 41, considered one of the best interviewees in the industry, has a coaching résumé far outweighing that of Whisenant and Golden State assistant Mario Elie, who was interviewed May 25. Sources who confirmed Musselman's second interview asked not to be identified for fear of reprisal.


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## Premier (Oct 30, 2003)

Phil Johnson of the Jazz is the best assistant in the league, in my opinion.

The Kings should target him, but Musselman is a fine choice.


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## Peja Vu (Jun 9, 2002)

Premier said:


> Phil Johnson of the Jazz is the best assistant in the league, in my opinion.
> 
> The Kings should target him, but Musselman is a fine choice.


 Wasn't he the Kings coach at some time...

EDIT: yap, 84-88.

http://www.nba.com/coachfile/phil_d_johnson/index.html?nav=page


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## BK_KingsFan (Jul 24, 2005)

Artestify! said:


> Wasn't he the Kings coach at some time...
> 
> EDIT: yap, 84-88.
> 
> http://www.nba.com/coachfile/phil_d_johnson/index.html?nav=page


Those were some dark years in Sactown. I don't think we'll bring him back. Wasn't he the coach who was fired after the Kings got blown out by the Showtime Lakers by about 50 points?


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## Peja Vu (Jun 9, 2002)

Musselman impresses Kings in second interview 



> Although Eric Musselman impressed the Maloof family Thursday in his second interview for the Sacramento Kings' head coaching job, the Memphis assistant soon might have more competition.
> 
> Musselman, who coached the Golden State Warriors from 2002-04, appears to be the leading candidate among the three coaches interviewed by the Kings, who parted ways with Rick Adelman on May 9.
> 
> ...


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## DaFranchise (Jun 29, 2005)

I think it would be a great signing. He should have never been fired from G-State. He did well with the Warriors for 2 years and they actually played a little D.


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## Peja Vu (Jun 9, 2002)

SacBee: Musselman flexes interview skills 



> Eric Musselman may be muscling his way into the Kings' head-coaching position.
> 
> After Monarchs coach John Whisenant appeared to have a stronghold on the job formerly held by Rick Adelman, Musselman - a Memphis assistant and former Golden State head coach - interviewed for the second time Thursday in Las Vegas and impressed the Kings' brain trust once again.
> 
> ...


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