Category: Golden State Warriors Blog

The AP reports:

First-time coach Mark Jackson has a bold prediction for his first season with the Golden State Warriors.

“I fully expect, put it in bold letters, the Golden State Warriors to be a playoff team next year,” Jackson said Tuesday, a day after being hired by the team that has been to the playoffs only once since 1994. “If I did not expect that, I would not have taken the job, and I won’t minimize it with just being a playoff team. We are looking to turn the Bay Area upside down.”

Jackson’s comments came before Game 4 of the NBA finals, which is working as a lead analyst for ESPN and ABC. He will begin his first coaching job full time after the end of the series between the Dallas Mavericks and Miami Heat.

In 17 seasons as an NBA point guard, Jackson played for New York, the Los Angeles Clippers, Indiana, Denver, Toronto, Utah and Houston. He won Rookie of the Year honors in 1988 and made the playoffs 14 times. He ranks third on the NBA’s all-time assists list.

The Golden State Warriors have named Mark Jackson, a 17-year NBA veteran as a player and current ABC/ESPN broadcaster, as the team’s new head coach, it was announced today.  Jackson becomes the 24th head coach in franchise history and the 19th since the team moved to the West Coast in 1962.

According to three separate reports, Jackson’s coaching deal is for three years, with a Warriors team option for the fourth year.

Jackson, 46, played for seven organizations – New York (twice), the L.A. Clippers, Indiana (twice), Denver, Toronto, Utah and Houston – during his highly-successful 17-year NBA career and helped guide his teams to the playoffs in 14 of those 17 seasons.  A native of Brooklyn, New York, he ranks third on the NBA’s all-time assists list (10,334) – trailing only John Stockton and Jason Kidd – and was named a member of the Eastern Conference All-Star team in 1989.  Jackson was originally selected by the New York Knicks in the first round of the 1987 NBA Draft (18th overall) and promptly captured NBA Rookie of the Year honors at the conclusion of the 1987-88 campaign.  He established a still-standing NBA record for assists by a rookies in a single season (868) and played for five Hall of Fame coaches during his collegiate and professional careers (Lou Carnesecca, Lenny Wilkens, Jerry Sloan, Pat Riley and Larry Brown).

“After an extensive search and a great deal of consideration, we have come to the conclusion that Mark Jackson is the best coach for this team,” said Warriors’ General Manager Larry Riley. “He will bring a youthful and fresh approach to our team and the fact that he enjoyed a stellar playing career, where he served most of that time as the leader of some very successful teams, will prove invaluable in the long run.  We were looking for a coach with leadership ability and a strong personality and believe Mark possesses those qualities.  He’s very well respected in NBA circles, is a consummate professional and his knowledge and background will be an incredible asset for our team and organization.”

“We are tremendously excited about the addition of Mark Jackson as our new head coach,” said Warriors’ Owner Joe Lacob. “He epitomized leadership as a player in this league for 17 seasons and we think that characteristic – and many other positive traits – will translate very well into his coaching duties with our young team.  He was a leader and a winner both on and off the floor in this league and we’re convinced that he is the right person to guide this team into the future and help us achieve the success that we are striving for as an organization.”

InsideHoops.com had suggested in the past that Jackson might have to gain experience as an assistant coach before a team would offer him a head coaching position. But the Warriors, under new ownership, are clearly looking to shake things up and roll the dice.

“I am really elated about this opportunity and I’m looking forward to the challenge of building the Warriors into a perennial contender,” said Jackson.  “I cannot tell you how impressed I was with the organization during our meetings, beginning at the top with Joe Lacob and, of course, with Larry Riley, Bob Myers and Jerry West.  I have sensed that Joe is committed to winning and building a team and a culture the right way.  I think we all witnessed that with some of the recent front office additions as well and some of the other positive things that have been done in recent months.  This is an incredible opportunity and I am honored and thank God that I have been chosen to be the next coach of the Warriors.  The Bay Area has always had some of the best fans in the NBA and I look forward to being a part of that incredible atmosphere at Oracle Arena, along with my wife, my kids and my church family, who are thrilled as well.”

Jackson, who will assume his new duties at the conclusion of the NBA Finals, appeared in 131 playoff games during his career, including 23 with the Indiana Pacers in 2000, when he was a member of the Eastern Conference Champions (played L.A. Lakers in the NBA Finals).  Additionally, he led the NBA in assists during the 1996-97 campaign (11.4 apg).

Jackson will be introduced to the Bay Area media later this week.

Read fan reaction and discuss your own opinion in this forum topic.

Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry underwent successful surgery on his right ankle earlier today, the team announced. The surgery, which was performed by Dr. Bob Anderson, a foot and ankle specialist at the OrthoCarolina Clinic in Charlotte North Carolina, repaired instability that existed in the ankle due to recurrent ankle sprains.

Curry, who missed a total of eight (8) games last season due to multiple sprains of the right ankle, is expected to be ready for training camp in the fall.

Curry, 23, appeared in 74 games during the 2010-11 season, averaging 18.6 points, 5.8 assists, 3.9 rebounds and 1.47 steals.

He led the NBA in free throw percentage (.934), ranked third in the NBA in three-point field goal percentage (.442) and became the first player in NBA history to shoot at least 45% from the floor (.480), 40% from three-point territory (.442) and 85% from the free throw line (.934) in his first two seasons in the league.

Sometimes, relationships go smoothly. But sometimes, stuff goes wrong, and people assault each other with a box cutter.

This is no laughing matter, of course, and I wish the best for everyone.

Khalil AlHajal of The Flint Journal reports:

The Prosecutor’s office has charged Kenya Bell, former Miss Michigan USA, with assaulting her husband, basketball star Charlie Bell, with a box cutter on Sunday, said Genesee County Prosecutor David Leyton.

The assault occurred inside Charile Bell’s home in Grand Blanc Township in the presence of two children, Leyton said…

Kenya Bell was arraigned in Genesee District Court today on charges of assault with a dangerous weapon and domestic violence, according to court records. She was released on $5,000 bond.

The AP reports:

Prosecutor David Leyton says Charlie Bell sustained minor injuries and says two children were present during the attack. Leyton declines to disclose many details. Bell was a star on Michigan State’s 2000 national championship team.

The 35-year-old Kenya Bell faces charges of assault with a dangerous weapon and domestic violence.

Hope this somehow turns out better than it sounds.

Read fan reaction and discuss your own opinion in this forum topic.

Rusty Simmons of the San Francisco Chronicle reports:

Team sources said more movement among the Warriors’ staff is expected as soon as today, and general manager Larry Riley reiterated that a head coaching move alone won’t be enough to turn the franchise into a playoff contender.

The other immediate moves are expected to be among the team’s support staff, possibly player development, strength and conditioning and/or training. Sources weren’t ready to name names because some of the staff had not yet been informed.

The rest of the moves will deal with the roster itself, which Riley admitted wasn’t good enough to reach the playoffs this season. He said he had a glimmer of hope when the Warriors headed into the All-Star break with an impressive win at Utah to get to three games under .500.

The Golden State Warriors have informed Head Coach Keith Smart that he will not be retained for the 2011-12 season, the team announced today. Smart, who was named head coach of the Warriors on September 27, 2010, led Golden State to a 36-46 record during the recently-completed 2010-11 NBA season.

“It’s never easy to make difficult decisions, especially when it involves someone that we have a great deal of respect for like Keith Smart,” said Warriors Owner Joe Lacob.  “After meeting extensively with Larry Riley and Bob Myers, we came to the conclusion that a change was necessary at this particular time.  I think Keith did an admirable job this season and he should be commended for many of the positive things that transpired both on and off the floor.  The team showed improvement and their effort was never in question.  However, we’ve elected to pursue a new path and we wish Keith the very best.  He’s a quality person and we thank him for the time he invested with our organization.”

Smart, 46, originally began his tour of duty with the Warriors as an assistant coach during the 2003-04 season.  He spent seven seasons in that capacity before being elevated to head coach – the 23rd in franchise history – prior to the start of last season.  A native of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Smart also served as interim head coach of the Cleveland Cavaliers for the final 40 games of the 2002-03 season.

“I obviously have a great deal of admiration for Keith as both a professional and a friend,” said Warriors Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations/GM Larry Riley. “He’s dedicated a lot of time, hard work and commitment to this job, not only over the course of the last year as the head coach, but the previous seven years with our organization.  We’re grateful for his contributions and have the utmost respect for him.  From our standpoint, however, we feel it is in our best interest as we move as an organization and begin to focus and prepare for the future.  At this time, we do not have a timetable for hiring a successor.  We’ll conduct our due diligence and make a good, sound decision when we’ve identified that individual.”