 --The Nets formally named Del Harris an assistant coach Friday, one day after he went through practice with interim head coach Kiki Vandeweghe. Before he would accept the job, Vandeweghe insisted on having a veteran presence on the bench beside him. That became Harris. The two worked together in Dallas. Harris joins Tom Barrise, John Loyer, Roy Rogers and Doug Overton on Vandeweghe's staff. Harris, 72, has more than 50 years of coaching experience. He formerly was head coach of Houston, Milwaukee and the Lakers. "I worked with Del in Dallas for two years, he came in halfway through the season, helped Don Nelson really, I think, turn around the Mavericks," Vandeweghe said. "I got to know him very well. We spent a lot of time together. He taught me a lot in those two years, talking about X's and O's. He's one of the brightest guys in the game." --Before he made his coach debut, Kiki Vandeweghe repeatedly stressed one message to his team. Have fun. "Players have to have fun. They have to enjoy themselves. A coach has to have fun. Fans have to enjoy watching. You have to start with the players enjoying the game," Vandeweghe said. "Everybody in the organization, especially the players, they feel that pressure. There's no question. Everybody wants to win. The main thing about the first practice, was maybe taking a little bit of pressure away from them, not focusing so much on what's going on," Vandeweghe said of the historic 0-18 start. "The future is bright and the players have to understand that." QUOTE TO NOTE: "You know what felt good? How hard our guys played (Friday night). Win, lose or draw they came with it." -- GM and interim coach Kiki Vandeweghe, after the Nets won their first game of the season, ending a record-setting 0-18 start.
Play Basketball Hot Streak and win prizes!
Author: Fox Sports
Author's Website: http://www.foxsports.com
Added: December 6, 2009
|
