Wow... and to think some NBA teams were set to be interested this offseason. <B><font face="arial" size="4">Van Gundy reportedly wants players who will listen</font></B> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- <font size="1" face="arial">Associated Press</font> That Jeff Van Gundy is returning to coach again certainly doesn't come as a giant surprise. However, that the former coach of the New York Knicks is ready to begin his coaching rebirth in the WNBA does qualify as a bit shocking. The Orlando Sentinel is reporting that Van Gundy, who resigned as Knicks coach in December, is expected to be named head coach today of the Washington Mystics, according to sources in both leagues. Van Gundy compiled a 248-172 record in just more than six seasons with the Knicks, taking them to the NBA Finals in the lockout-shortened 1999 season, when they lost to the San Antonio Spurs. Since leaving the Knicks, Van Gundy has done some television commentary. He also had been rumored as a possible replacement for Lenny Wilkens in Toronto. "Maybe he decided it was time to coach some players who would listen to him," one NBA source was quoted as saying in the Sentinel story. The Mystics, who have two of the top five picks in the upcoming WNBA draft, have led the league in attendance the past three seasons, but they have struggled on the court, which is why a high-profile coach has been a priority for them. They also talked with Pat Summit, the legendary women's coach at the University of Tennessee.
I can just see it now, him grabbing onto Rebecca Lobo's leg, being slung back and forth, while trying to break up a fight. Good times.
Yup, this shows just how bad the Golden State Warriors coaching job must be. The Golden State Warriors wanted Van Gundy a lot. So Van Gundy took the WNBA coaching job, which would be more fun. Van Gundy might just be looking for something less stressful.
The Mystics are a mess! Well they got rid of Nikki McCray this offseason so maybe there's hope. This will be Chamique Holdsclaw's 4th season and her 4th head coach! She's a whiny brat of a player who has bought in to too much of her own hype. So if Van Gundy thinks it's going to be easy then he better think again.
Means two things: 1. He's getting some serious behind the back pay from the league---this is a marketing gimmick to boost the viewership of the league. 2. He's setting up shop in the Washington organization for the future: to replace the "always needs replacing" Doug Collins after he explodes (always happens) or he's the next GM for the Wiz.
NO it means that women coaches in the wnba are getting less and less... notice the male coaching they have now Sparks win a title=man coach Comets win titles=man coach When pat comes out of college then they will have a good female coach
I read somewhere that the Knicks were hoping to get some compensation (like a first round pick) from whomever van Gundy coached next. They still have his contract for another year. Perhaps he wants something to pass the time while his indenture to New York expires? Or maybe he's hoping to accidentally walk into the locker room at the wrong time.
Personally, I think the Mystiques will be championship contenders next year. They have two of the top 4 picks and holdsclaw. And now they have a credible coach. And they've always had great fan support.
looks like we've been April fooled: O'Malley Addresses Van Gundy Rumor Washington, D.C., April 3 - President of Washington Sports and Entertainment Susan O'Malley today addressed the rumor that the Mystics will announce former New York Knicks head coach Jeff Van Gundy as the Mystics new head coach. The rumor is based on an article written by an Orlando Sentinel reporter and posted on the news wires by the Orlando Sentinel late last night. O'Malley had this to say: "Although Jeff Van Gundy is an excellent coach, the article written by the Orlando Sentinel is unfounded and the information reported within is untrue," said O'Malley. "Unfortunately, the reporter's source was not the proper one, the Mystics. We have taken this time to find a coach we believe is the perfect fit for this team and we expect to make an announcement within the next few days." source: http://www.wnba.com/mystics/rumor_unfounded.html
Oh yeah, nothing would drive people to watch the WNBA more than watching Jeff Van Gundy coach the most dysfunctional team in the whole league.
Man, you guys are too rough on Washington. The team was good enough to make the playoffs a while back.
Turns out Van Gundy was never even in consideration: Mystics hire Stanley to coach, Summitt to consult WASHINGTON -- After spending almost all of Wednesday denying a report that former New York Knicks coach Jeff Van Gundy would be named head coach of the team, the WNBA's Washington Mystics promoted assistant Marianne Stanley on Thursday. Marianne Stanley gets her first WNBA head coaching job. Stanley, an assistant last year under Tom Maher, becomes the sixth coach in five seasons for a franchise that has never had a winning record and is 39-87 since entering the league in 1998. The Mystics were 10-22 in their only season under Maher, who resigned Jan. 4. Tennessee coach Pat Summitt, who has won six NCAA titles at Tennessee, was hired by the Mystics as a consultant. Summitt turned down an offer to coach the Mystics in January, but she said she might be willing to advise the WNBA team once a coach was hired. The Mystics' star player is Chamique Holdsclaw, who played for Summitt at Tennessee. Summitt will remain the coach at Tennessee, where she has a contract through 2005 worth about $550,000 a year. She will assist the Mystics in the upcoming draft, taking some of the duties held by departed general manager Melissa McFerrin. The Mystics have two of the top five picks in the upcoming draft and have been successful at the gate, having led the league in attendance the past three seasons. Stanley had a 415-224 record over 21 years at five different colleges and won three national titles with Old Dominion. Before joining the Mystics, she was an assistant with the WNBA's Los Angeles Sparks. Late Tuesday, the Orlando Sentinel cited sources in both the NBA and WNBA as saying that Van Gundy would be named Mystics head coach. "Although Jeff Van Gundy is an excellent coach, the article written by the Orlando Sentinel is unfounded and the information reported within is untrue," said Susan O'Malley, the president of Washington Sports and Entertainment. "Unfortunately, the reporter's source was not the proper one, the Mystics." Dyani Gordon, a Mystics assistant director for public relations, told ESPN that the Mystics were not in talks with Van Gundy about a coaching position or about any other position within the organization. Van Gundy said on WFAN radio Wednesday that he learned of the report by seeing his name appear on ESPN's bottom line and that he called the Orlando reporter Tim Povtak about the story. Van Gundy said Povtak told him he went with the story because he had two sources and that it was too late in the night to bother Van Gundy. Hearing that, Van Gundy told Povtak he had two sources but not the right source. Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.
