|
|
The expansion Charlotte Bobcats did not have to look far to find the man to run their franchise.
Bernie Bickerstaff, who spent parts of 10 seasons as an NBA coach and last season as general manager of the WNBA's Charlotte Sting, on Thursday was named the first coach and general manager of the Bobcats.
"Bernie Bickerstaff has the ideal qualities and experience necessary to lead the Bobcats' expansion effort. His combined role will ensure that our organization carries out a well-coordinated and consistent basketball operations approach," Bobcats CEO Ed Tapscott said. Ticketmaster
ADVERTISEMENT
The 59-year-old Bickerstaff has experience in both jobs. He served as general
manager with the Denver Nuggets from 1990-97 and compiled a 338-348 record as
coach of the Nuggets, Seattle SuperSonics and Washington Bullets.
Bickerstaff had been working in the Bobcats' organization as GM of the Sting, which qualified for the WNBA playoffs last spring.
"This was one of the greatest experiences for me to work in the WNBA," said Bickerstaff, the NBA Coach of the Year in 1987. Ticketmaster
Owned by billionaire Robert Johnson, the Bobcats will begin play in the 2004-05 season and Bickerstaff knows that competing as an expansion team will have its challenges.
"It's important that once we obtain success that we can maintain that success," Bickerstaff said. "Our mantra can be nothing is worthwhile without labor, without patience and without disappointment."
As coach of Seattle from 1985-90, Bickerstaff led the Sonics to a 202-208 (.493) record and made the playoffs three times. Seattle advanced to the 1987 Western Conference finals in his second season as the seventh-seeded Sonics upset Dallas and then Houston before falling to the eventual NBA champion Los Angeles Lakers. Ticketmaster
As president and general manager of the Nuggets from 1990-97, he directed a major turnaround as the club improved from 20 to 42 wins in three seasons. Denver made history in the 1994 playoffs by becoming the first eighth-seeded team to defeat a top seed when the Nuggets ousted Seattle in the first round.
The Bobcats also filled out the rest of their basketball staff, naming Karl Hicks assistant general manager and Gary Brokaw director of player personnel.