Philly.com is reporting that Doug Collins has officially agreed to terms to be the next coach of the Sixers. It’s a 4-year deal.
Expect an announcement tomorrow and a presser on Monday.
Collins, 58, has a 332-287 record in 8 seasons with the Bulls, Pistons and Wizards. He made the playoffs in 5 of those 8 seasons.
When he hasn’t been coaching, he’s been one of the best color commentators in any sport.
Dannie will have a more in-depth post up later, but I wanted to get something up to get you guys talking.
Not the guy I wanted, but not the worse choice either. Very interested in the press conference comments.
I think it was a safe pick. Not overly excited, but I am certain he’ll have a positive impact on the youth of the team, and that alone will be worth something.
Collins is a great basketball Mind, which should help a team with players seriously lacking B-ball IQ. He also harps Pick-N-Roll Defense(at least during his commentary) and the Sixers last year were terrible against that. I like the pick, don’t love it.
Pretty happy. While most people on this blog (or well-informed fans, including myself) would have liked Avery Johnson or Thibeau, Stefanski could have shit the bed with another Eddie Jordan type hiring. Let’s be happy with at least a competent coach at the helm this season. Let’s hope Stefanski get’s the boot and the Sixers begin to move in the right direction with a solid draft and off-season.
While Avery Johnson was my first choice Collins is a very bright basketball mind who comes in with a lot of crediblity around the league. It will be intersting to see what he thinks we should do with Iggy assuming we select Turner.
Anyone with a tendency to view Collins as a safe, or compromise candidate of sorts instead of the greatness of Avery Johnson have a much different view of reality than me.
Collins is a very good choice. He’s a communicator. That counts for an awful lot. How much it still haunts him, I don’t know, but I am sure that to at least a small degree the way Avery Johnson and his Dallas roster grew frustrated with each other over the last year is not totally ignored.
Patience, discipline and communication seem to be the prerequistes of choice here. Collins, I have no doubt scored well in the interview process on all 3, and no doubt got a strong recommendation from Billy Cunningham.
Boring pick. Safe pick. Expected pick.
Wrong pick? I think so but oh well. Can’t be worse than EJ.
like it. Fundamental basketball is coming to Philly. Players/games will be managed. Hopefully it’s not to late for this team. Still must make a couple moves besides the draft pick.
I have mixed emotions: I don’t like the pick, and I hate the pick (though I respect Doug’s playing and coaching resume). The 70s are gone, Eddie, Tony & Gene. Long gone. There are creatures like Marreese Speights and Sam Dalembert to contend with now. Has Doug been fully alerted? And even with a clear field of vision, Collins transfused clubs with his enthusiasm and energy for early results but,
ultimately, was no great shakes. This is a ”let’s survive first” decision. Eddie “The Shot” (with cohorts) lives up to his scrappy reputation.
Watching an All In The Family rerun right about now would be apropos.
If Collins can translate all of his brilliant telestrating on TNT back to court, then the Sixers will be in for something great. Evan Turner will be learning under the same coach who first mentored the great Michael “Jeffrey” Jordan in the NBA. I wish Collins nothing but the best!! He’s a good man!!!
The only thing not to like about this pick is that we’re losing the best bball announcer that I’ve ever heard. With Collins, and the #2 pick in the draft, I can safely say that the Sixers will be relevant once again.
You can safely say it. But you can also be wrong.
New coach: once, twice, three times a loser. And a #2 in a weak draft year. Big whup.
For the record – My choices of who I wanted to be the Sixers coach, in order:
1. Avery Johnson
2. Tom Thibidouex
3. Byron Scott
4. Lawrence Frank
5. Doug Collins
Positives Collins brings to the table:
-Will hold players accountable for their actions. (this…is…huge!)
-Really knows how to draw up plays and work the X&O’s in half court sets.
-Players that will benefit the most: Brand, Iguodala, Lou…Collins will be more emphatic with how they are used “the right way” and will know how to best put them in positions to effectively utilize their talents.
-Is demanding, and expects effort, hustle, and players to work hard and bring it.
-BBall IQ and knowledge of the game = off the chart
-Will get the Sixers back to being a more defensive oriented team.
-Will bring a veteran clout with him that the players will respect; all the players are aware he’s coached Jordan twice, and an in his prime Grant Hill, and they are familiar with his knowledge of the game via his commentating on TNT. He’s a guy that commands a certain level of respect, been a while since we’ve had that, which should lead to a more cohesive locker room.
Negatives:
-Can be TOO overdemanding, and is known for sometimes cracking the whip too hard.
-Can get extremely emotional, yell, scream, rant at players, rubbing them the wrong way.
-Seems to be far more comfortable with half court, set offenses, lots of strictly called plays…not a bad thing, but I’m wondering whether he will let the Sixers run like they should. Let’s hope so.
-A guy that has proven, so far, that even with all his basketball knowledge, this doesn’t necessarily translate to monster seasons and wins. I’ve always been a bit particularly underwhelmed by his coaching stint with the Pistons, and especially his go with the Wizards.
-Might hold too tight of a rope with young players; he seems like a guy that will tend to opt for veteran savvy and toughness over letting rookies play through mistakes. We need our young guys (Jrue, Turner, Thad, Speights) getting all the minutes they can get.
p.s: A really important thing to keep in mind is that many of us have become used to his on air personality, which is very laid back, logical, chill, good sense of humor. It is important to remember this is VERY DIFFERENT from Doug Collins the coach. Being in DC, I got a very up close and personal look at him for a few years, and the dude really can fly off the handle and lay into his players and turn them off. There were definitely situations where he flat out made wrong decisions in how he communicated with his players…this worries me. I’m hoping his time off, and eye of observing teams from a distance will teach him some much needed lessons.
Interesting assistant coaches; Curry and McKie could be guys that take over, especially Curry, when Doug hangs it up.
I’m not especially disappointed with this decision, however, I do find fault with the process.
From ESPN story: “Stefanski and other members of Sixers management also interviewed Phoenix Suns assistant coach Dan Majerle, Houston Rockets assistant Elston Turner, Portland Trail Blazers assistant Monty Williams and former Pistons star Bill Laimbeer.”
How do Bill Lambier and Dan Majerle land interviews but no Thibodeaux? No mention here of Avery Johnson either (though I thought I could remember hearing that they did). The means sort of sour a respectable end.
This is why I’m still having trouble getting my hopes up for this team, I can’t see how Stefanski will be a championship GM and make the moves those guys have to make.
Chris McG…I agree with you completely.
Last year everyone know Jordan would be the guy but Stefanski did interviews for the sake of saying he was doing interviews but then he went back to his guy from the beginning. This year it was the same thing. Collins was the guy from the jump and Stefanski did some interviews…with Bill Lambier and Dan Majerele, a guy who made it clear he wasn’t even sure if he wanted to coach as well as some others and then Stefanski goes back to Collins. It’s ridiculous. Stefanski picked the best of the worst and not the best of the best. He picked the guy that will save his job for now, not the guy that will help win this team a championship.
JJG: ”#2 in a weak draft year. Big whup.” Have you seen Evan Turner play? He’d be a top 5-7 pick in any draft class of the past 10 years. The only reason that everyone in this town didn’t collectively crap their pants when they found out we could get this kid is that he’s an iffy outside shooter on a squad filled with iffy outside shooters. Watch, though, Jrue’s going to be one hell of a 3 point shooter this year with Turner shredding defenses on the drive and Jrue having the time to do his taxes while he lines up his shot. If we can make a trade (Iggy, Thad, Dbert, etc.) and end up with a wing that can actually shoot, we’ll be in pretty good shape. And that’s not even taking defense into account. Not saying there’s a championship in the making, not even close, but this is one hell of a building block. If you can’t be the least bit optimistic about getting moving up to #2 from #6 in the draft, and getting a coach who’s at the very least reliable (after the EJ fiasco) then why do you even bother watching/thinking/talking about the Sixers?
RealGM reports “Sixers willing to trade 2nd pick with Brand”. Let’s hope that’s bad reporting and just false. Oy.
Dave T…I bet that report is accurate. No reason the Sixers shouldn’t consider it. But I can’t imagine they will find anyone that will want to take on Brand’s albatross of a contract.
Dave T – Unless the Sixers explicitly say the #2 pick is off limits, reports like that will circulate. I think their 1st, 2nd and 3rd options are to keep the pick and decide between Turner and Favors.
If someone blows them away with a ridiculous offer they will entertain it, but it’s got to be RIDICULOUS.
On another note: This is not a good way to change the perception of being a douche bag!