Mavs coach's success helps cause of these candidates

	Sam Vincent, shown here coaching the Nigerian women's national team, is set to become the Bobcats' coach after just one year as an NBA assistant. AP

Call it the Avery Johnson Effect.

Every NBA team with a coaching vacancy (outside of Houston, at least) seems interested in hiring a young former player who can relate to today's Gen X stars. It's a by-product in part of the performance of Johnson, who has enjoyed unprecedented success (at least in terms of regular-season victories) in his first two seasons with the Mavericks after making the leap from assistant to head coach.

It doesn't hurt, either, that these assistants usually come cheap.

The Bobcats are the latest example of the Avery Johnson Effect. Charlotte is expected to announce Friday that it has hired Mavs assistant Sam Vincent as its next coach. Never mind that Vincent, 44, has only one year of NBA experience on the bench; he fits the profile more than anybody because he was right alongside Johnson all season.

That's why we're hearing of so many relatively inexperienced young former players being mentioned for some of the league's five open coaching positions (Seattle, Sacramento, Indiana, Memphis and Orlando). Every team is intrigued by the idea of another Little General. But if you're a casual NBA fan, you've probably heard some of the names mentioned and wondered, Why are these guys getting the opportunities?

Here's a look at seven "next Avery Johnson" candidates (i.e., those without any previous NBA head-coaching experience) who are in the mix for jobs around the league:

Marc Iavaroni

Not exactly an unknown anymore, since his name has been getting tossed around like Larry Brown's for openings the past two years. Still, most fans wouldn't be able to pick this Suns assistant out of a lineup, unless they happened to recognize him from his marching up and down the sideline behind Mike D'Antoni the past few seasons. Iavaroni actually was a former star for the Sixers, helping them win the 1983 title, and has been a longtime assistant with the Cavs, Heat and Suns. He has worked under Pat Riley and Mike Fratello, as well as D'Antoni, so he certainly has had great mentors. Iavaroni has been mentioned most prominently in connection with Memphis, but he could end up just about anywhere.

Mario Elie

This former Rockets and Spurs guard, who sat out last season after two years as a Warriors assistant, was Avery Johnson before Avery Johnson. Two years ago he was considered a hot candidate because of his status as a young former player who could relate to today's stars, but it never panned out. He looked to be in line for the job in Golden State, where he served under Mike Montgomery, but he didn't remain on staff after the Warriors hired Don Nelson. Elie is back in the mix now: He interviewed in Charlotte and could be a candidate in Orlando. More likely, he will return as an assistant next season, either in Houston (under his former coach, Rick Adelman) or in Dallas (with former teammate Johnson).