In the world of sports, it's common for decision-makers to hire people they’ve worked with before. In line with this, many thought Bill Laimbeer had a strong shot at coaching an NBA team in 2005. This seemed likely as the Knicks, then managed by his former Pistons teammate Isiah Thomas , were looking for a new head coach. However, while ‘Lambs’ acknowledged that they were still in regular contact, he was quick to downplay the rumors about him stepping into the role.
“I talk to Isiah all the time. I talked with him on the phone a couple of days ago. It was about him being in Los Angeles, also about how our Shock team is doing here, how his wife is doing, things like that. Nothing about the job,” remarked Laimbeer, per The Oakland Press.
Nepotism in the spotlight
Recently, there has been a lively discussion within the NBA regarding nepotism, particularly in light of the Los Angeles Lakers' off-season moves. The Californian franchise, starring basketball icon LeBron James, first drafted his son, Bronny, and then appointed his podcast buddy, JJ Reddick, as head coach. For many observers, these decisions seem to stem from factors beyond pure sports reasons.
Having said that, nepotism is certainly not a new idea, and Laimbeer acknowledged this himself. When his name came up for the Knicks head coaching position, the Boston native explained, “They’re all going to write that because I know Isiah.”
However, the rumors were fueled by the fact that, in addition to knowing each other, the Hall of Fame duo had already shown they could work together very successfully. As key figures of the infamous ‘Bad Boy Pistons’ in the 80s and early 90s, ‘Lambs’ and ‘Zeke’ won two championship titles.
Related: "He was alienated from those guys" - Clyde Drexler named the Dream Team members who didn't want Isiah Thomas on the team
‘Lambs’ never landed an NBA head coaching job
In addition to the clear Thomas-Laimbeer Pistons connection, it’s also worth mentioning that the latter had the suitable qualifications to back a potential appointment.
After retiring from his playing career, Bill had taken over as head coach of the Detroit Shock midway through the 2002 campaign. Within a year, the former rebounding leader led the team to its first WNBA championship and was honored as Coach of the Year that same season.
In 2010, ESPN revealed that ‘Lambs’ was indeed one of the last three names that ‘Zeke’ presented to James Dolan, the then-owner of the Knicks . The other two names on the list were P.J. Carlesimo and Larry Brown, the latter of whom Dolan ultimately chose.
As a result, the 2004 championship-winning coach signed a lucrative $50 million deal. However, during the team's following campaign, this decision proved to be a mistake. Brown led the team to a disappointing 23-59 record and was eventually let go.
Meanwhile, Laimbeer never secured an NBA head coaching position, and this may have been his closest opportunity. No,w at 67 years old, it seems unlikely that the Pistons legend will get another chance.
Related: "I am more disappointed today than I was back when I was not selected" -Isiah Thomas on handshake snub as the reason he didn't make the Dream Team
Local News
Comments / 0