But he was a point guard! That's all you need to be a head coach... Byron Scott... Nate McMillan.... Isiah Thomas.... Magic Johnson..... Avery Johnson.... oh wait... I was trying to support the idea that point guards make good head coaches. My bad.
I'll bet he does an outstanding job, if he is given the talent and patience from ownership like Nate was given.
Hopefully for him, his coaching wisdom is very different from his broadcasting wisdom. Because he's one of the least insightful commentators I've ever heard.
I think Jackson is a good hire, on paper anyway? He has learned under some very good coaches, and is a natual born leader.
I actually like him as an announcer, but it could be that I like JVG, and him making fun of Jackson. As a whole, though, i really enjoy the broadcast team. I just look forward to peeks into their huddle next season, when you hear him yell at his players "hand down, man down"
Scott Brooks. Doc Rivers. Larry Drew. Lionel hollins. I'd say Scott is a decent coach. Avery as well. And Nate. so I'd say you did prove your point, even though you didn't want to.
Larry Brown was a decent coach too. Hell, I thought Danny Ainge had potential as a coach, although he was a bit of a combo-guard. What would the list "Centers who became great NBA coaches" look like?
I think it's a stupid hire. I think you need to have some experience as an assistant before becoming head coach. I will be shocked if the Warriors improve their record next season.
I believe Jerry West brought Pat Riley out of the broadcast booth into being an NBA coach for the Lakers way back when. Also Larry Bird had a damn good record with no experience. Doc Rivers is another guy who was a HC with no NBA coaching experience. Not saying its the norm but it happens. I'm still skeptical but Jackson has grown on me. Lots of NBA people have been quoted as saying hes brilliant when you talk to him one on one. Seems like his TV persona is just that. Hes played for 4 or 5 HOF coaches, one of the most successful PGs of all time even though he wasn't the most naturally talented, went to the playoffs in 14 of his 17 years as a player, "coach on the floor" as described by Donnie Walsh. Looking at the twitter feeds the guy seems to have INSANE connections and if nothing else he seems like a guy who can get players to play hard for him (though with that pedigree you'd think he knows some x's and o's even if they aren't proven). Lacob just outbid the Lakers to get Mike Malone as the lead assistant. Malone is supposed to be a good x's and o's guy- he was on Mike Brown's staff in Cle and lord knows he needed help with x's and o's and he was also Monty Williams' lead assistant in NO last season. He seems to have the veteran-#2-x's-and-o's job down to a science. Its a risky move by W's management. The next best options appeared to be Lawrence Frank and Dwane Casey who may be decent options but also seem to have limited potential. As a W's fan the hire is certainly growing on me though.
NBA assistant coach, not head coach. He was Westhead's assistant coach before eventually taking over. I agree that you don't necessarily have to have coaching experience to succeed, but nothing Mark Jackson has ever said suggested to me that he was a brilliant NBA mind who was just ready to step into a head coaching position. That said, I think the effect of NBA head coaches is somewhat overstated, except for the very few that are difference-makers either in the positive or negative direction. PJ Carlisimo, for example, in the negative direction and Phil Jackson in the positive.
