Thunder coach Billy Donovan targeting top Blazer assistant

After locking in three members of his new coaching staff, Oklahoma City Thunder coach Billy Donovan is pursuing an ambitious list of ex-NBA head coaches and assistant coaches for the two most prominent roles on his bench, league sources told Yahoo Sports.

Donovan has a targeted interest in several potential candidates, including ex-New Orleans Pelicans coach Monty Williams, Chicago Bulls assistant Andy Greer and Portland Trail Blazers assistant Nate Tibbetts, league sources said.

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/source...y-williams--top-assistants-214127454-nba.html

 

May 14, 2013 -

The Trail Blazers gave Nate Tibbetts an early birthday present: A position on coach Terry Stotts' staff.
The former Cleveland Cavaliers assistant, who interviewed this month for the head coaching job with Charlotte, accepted an assistants position with the Blazers on Tuesday, one day before his 36th birthday.

"It's a pretty good birthday present," Tibbetts said.

Regarded as one of the young, up-and-comers in the NBA coaching ranks, Tibbetts said one of the reasons he took the Blazers job was because of his familiarity with three of the Blazers' coaches: Stotts and assistants David Vanterpool and Dale Osbourne. Before spending the past two seasons in Cleveland, Tibbetts was the head coach of the Tulsa 66ers of the Development League, an affiliate of the Oklahoma City Thunder. Vanterpool was a scout with the Thunder and Osbourne was one of Tibbetts' assistants. Tibbetts also said he is close with Blazers assistant general manager Bill Branch, who used to be in the Thunder front office.

He became close with Stotts while he was a head coach of the Sioux Falls Skyforce for two seasons, including the 2007-08 season when Stotts was a consultant for Development League coaches.

"I don't know if it was on purpose, but Terry spent a little extra time in Sioux Falls helping me out and we built a relationship," Tibbetts said. "I remember a lunch that we sat down and had -- he probably doesn't remember it -- but he was talking to me about teachable moments and using every opportunity to teach. And he talked to me a lot about how to be prepared -- knowing what I wanted to get done in shootarounds, from the scouting aspect. He challenged me to be prepared to teach."

The son of the late Fred Tibbetts, one of South Dakota's most successful girl's basketball coaches, Nate Tibbetts said he doesn't consider himself a defensive or offensive coach, but he said he gravitates toward player development, which includes getting sweaty on the court.

"I'm still young and learning, and I like defense, and offense," Tibbetts said. "But there's not one side of the ball I'm better at or enjoy more."

Tibbetts replaces Kaleb Canales, who joined the Dallas Mavericks staff this month. Canales had the title of defensive coordinator, but this offseason Stotts said he wouldn't designate offensive and defensive coordinators while also vowing to spend more time himself heading the defense.

As the head coach in Tulsa, Tibbetts' teams were among the best in several defensive categories. In his last season, the 66ers were second in points allowed, third in turnovers forced and fourth in steals. In his two years in Tulsa, Tibbetts had a 64-41 record (.610 winning percentage).

Tibbetts spent the past two years in Cleveland on Byron Scott's staff, and was one of the assistants retained after Scott was fired after the season. In 2012, after point guard Kyrie Irving was named Rookie of the Year, Irving singled out Tibbetts in his acceptance speech for inspiring him to work and be prepared. A former college point guard himself at the University of South Dakota, the 6-foot-1 Tibbetts said he is not just a point guard coach.

"Kyrie and I worked pretty darn close, and I think he and I built a special relationship," Tibbetts said. "But I also worked with center Tyler Zeller and wing C.J. Miles. With my D-League background, you have to learn to work with everyone."

Tibbetts said he will be in Portland by June to help with draft workouts and he will be in Las Vegas to help Vanterpool and Osbourne coach the Blazers Summer League entrant.

"I'm excited," Tibbetts said. "I'm really glad to join the organization because of the familiarity with some of the people and because of the vision of (general manager) Neil Olshey and what he is trying to do since he took over."

-- Jason Quick

http://www.oregonlive.com/blazers/i...zers_new_assistant_nate_tibbetts_gets_an.html

 

GMs don't pick the coach's staff, the coach does.