Bill Laimbeer heads to Minnesota
From the Star-Tribune:
New Timberwolves coach Kurt Rambis will add former Detroit Pistons bad-boy center Bill Laimbeer and former Sacramento Kings head coach Reggie Theus to his staff, according to a league source.
Those two notable names will join Boston assistant general manager Dave Wohl, a former Los Angeles Lakers assistant and New Jersey's head coach in the 1980s who will become Rambis' No. 1 assistant.
Laimbeer, 52, resigned as the Detroit Shock's head coach and general manager in June after winning three WNBA titles in seven seasons as its coach. He did so in a surprise move presumably to pursue a coaching career in the NBA, where he won two NBA titles with the Pistons displaying an agitating playing style that earned him the nickname "His Heinous."
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He’s got to start somewhere, and with young bigs who could use some guidance— Al Jefferson and K Love— he could make a pretty big impact on that squad.
Here’s to hoping he someday comes back to Michigan.
by J Dre on Aug 30, 2009 12:32 AM EDT reply actions
Very nice, I was hoping he’d be an assistant before trying to sit in the big chair first.
by Brad Bice on Aug 30, 2009 12:35 AM EDT reply actions
Congrats, BL. Let’s hope you crack the head coaching gig in a season or two. Hell, knowing the turnover in our town, maybe you’ll just end up in Detroit. While I don’t see that happening as long as Dumars is in charge, you never know…
by Mike Payne on Aug 30, 2009 1:15 AM EDT reply actions
Dumar is a fool. Bill Laimbeer is the man because he understand basketball far better than Joe D who only batted one hit in his entire career as GM. Time for Joe D to take a hike.
by HB on Aug 30, 2009 1:44 AM EDT reply actions
Rambis and Bad Boy Bill faced off against other during the Showtime/Bad Boy era.
Nice to see them team up.
Love must be over joyed.
by Mike on Aug 30, 2009 9:01 AM EDT reply actions
FIBA Americas Qualifier, Day 4
August 30, 2009 1:24 AM
By Alfredo R. Berríos
ESPNdeportes.com
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — Forward Charlie Villanueva twisted his ankle in the final minutes of the Dominican Republic’s 78-73 victory over Venezuela in Day 4 of the FIBA Americas Championship.
“A Venezuelan player stepped on my ankle,” Villanueva explained after the game. “It hurts a little but it’s nothing bad. We’re going to ice it and I’m expecting to be ready [on Sunday against Argentina]”.
Villanueva scored a game-high 28 points and had 12 rebounds in 40 minutes as the Dominicans advanced to the second round.
Coach Julio Toro explained that he wanted to rest Villanueva. Villanueva’s plan was different.
“Charlie was playing at his peak,” Toro said. “He’s a player with great abilities and was the key to our game. When he got hurt, he told me he wanted to stay in the game.”
by Mike on Aug 30, 2009 9:02 AM EDT reply actions
hah… that better not be a serious ankle injury… but even if it is semi-serious, he should be ready by training camp anyway
sounds like he had a good game
and congrats to bill
by mannie32 on Aug 30, 2009 9:30 AM EDT reply actions
I’m happy for Laimbeer. Players like him often make fantastic coaches — players who understand what it means for a team to be committed to defense & rebounding, buying into a team concept, and maximizing one’s personal talents by committing to a team.
And of course, unlike other players with similar resumes, Laimbeer has demonstrated he can coach at a championship level.
That said, I don’t blame Jod for not passing on him … the last rookie coach we hired, well, MCIAFI. Q-ster’s experience is simply fantastic.
by brgulker on Aug 30, 2009 11:48 AM EDT reply actions
I am sure that Laimbeer would have taken an assitant coaches position for the Pistons just like he did for the T-Wolves.
by Mike on Aug 30, 2009 12:12 PM EDT reply actions
It wasn’t offered. Laimbeer is one of the most pro-piston guys on the planet, dumars for whatever reason decided to pass, even if only for a season or two.
by Skylar on Aug 30, 2009 2:05 PM EDT reply actions
“I’m happy for Laimbeer. Players like him often make fantastic coaches — players who understand what it means for a team to be committed to defense & rebounding, buying into a team concept, and maximizing one’s personal talents by committing to a team.”
FWIW, that also describes Michael Curry…
by Quick Darshan on Aug 30, 2009 2:58 PM EDT reply actions
I was under the impression that the head coach chooses his assistants, not the GM. Thus, perhaps it was Kuester who had associates he trusted more than Lambieer.
by Jonathan on Aug 30, 2009 7:51 PM EDT reply actions
I agree Jonathan. had Joe made that move, then he really wouldn’t be handing the keys over to the head coach. although it might have worked in our favor under MCIAFI.
by scntfc on Aug 30, 2009 9:18 PM EDT reply actions
Here’s the FIBA Americas webpage for people looking for some competitive ball.
http://puertorico2009.fiba.com/pages/eng/fe/09/facm/p/group-standing.html
by joejoejoe on Aug 31, 2009 12:29 AM EDT reply actions
FWIW, that also describes Michael Curry…
That was sort of intentional … the main difference, of course, are the championships in the WNBA. Laimb can coach, and he’s proven that.
by brgulker on Aug 31, 2009 7:22 AM EDT reply actions
I don’t think the Curry/Laimbeer comparison is fair by any measure, Curry had one horrible year at head coach, Laimbeer had 6 years and led his Squad to 3 titles during that time. Who knows if Curry would’ve improved. I can’t see Laimbeer having been anything but an improvement. It’s always been a popular pastime to talk shit about the WNBA, but like Gulk said, he can coach, he’s proven that. It’s up to him now to try to silence the doubters via his new Assistant position in MIN.
by Skylar on Aug 31, 2009 1:21 PM EDT reply actions

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