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 Rivers to become next coach of Magic
Posted: Saturday June 05, 1999 12:28 AM
ORLANDO, Fla. (CNN/SI) -- Sports Illustrated's Jackie MacMullan has learned that Doc Rivers has signed a 4-year contract to be the head coach of the Orlando Magic. A press conference has been scheduled for Monday, according to MacMullan. Newspaper reports said that Doc Rivers returned home to San Antonio late Thursday after meeting two days with officials of the Orlando Magic. The reports also said that Rivers will be named the NBA team's new coach by Monday. A 13-year NBA veteran, Rivers is currently a basketball analyst working with Turner Sports, and has spent much of the past month working NBA playoff games. He would be the second youngest coach in the league, behind New York's Jeff Van Gundy. Both are 37, and is expected to net a four-year deal worth an estimated $6 million, The Orlando Sentinel reported in Friday editions. Neither side admitted on Thursday the job was offered, but the newspaper reported that Rivers' agent and Magic officials were in fact negotiating a contract. No offer was made to Rivers as of late Thursday, Magic general manager John Gabriel said. He said he was still was talking to other people about the coaching job. "The process isn't over," Gabriel said. Still, Rivers sounded upbeat at Orlando International Airport before boarding his flight back home. "I think things will happen here for me. And I think they will happen soon," Rivers said. "I've got to go home now, and see what the boss [my wife] says, but I think I already know. She likes Orlando.
"And I've yet to meet any kids that don't like it here. My family has played a big role in this decision," Rivers said. "Let's just let the next couple days play out." Hiring Rivers would mark a dramatic change for the Magic, who have been coached the past two seasons by Chuck Daly, the oldest coach in the league, with 40 years of coaching experience. Rivers' hiring would apparently signal a willingness to gamble that his basketball knowledge, his toughness and leadership skills can overcome his lack of coaching experience. During his NBA career, Rivers played for Mike Fratello in Atlanta, Larry Brown in Los Angeles and Pat Riley in New York, three well-respected coaches. "I don't know if there are many guys who have played for those three and survived," Rivers said. "I think you may see a lot of those guys in me, and the way I coach." Rivers would be back in Orlando next week for the announcement, The Sentinel reported. The paper also reported he would be expected to rush off to attend the NBA pre-draft camp in Chicago to take a look at potential draft choices. Rivers told the newspaper he would not name anyone, but likely would hire at least one new veteran assistant with NBA head coaching experience. One trouble spot in the Rivers scenario is a reported preference among a majority of current Magic players for former assistant coach Bob Hill, a former coach in Indiana and San Antonio, for the position. Magic fans favored hiring former player Scott Skiles, now an assistant at Phoenix. The Magic contacted Hill the day Daly resigned, while Skiles, who is the only other candidate who actually visited Orlando for an interview, got a call a few days later. Rivers, too, has looked elsewhere, interviewing for the opening in Washington. But he made it clear Thursday that Orlando was his first choice. "I've known for some time, this is a great organization," Rivers said. "In the last two days, I was blown away by the people here. They want to win here. They really want to win. I have a good feeling about this whole situation. I think it will work well here."
The Associated Press contributed to this report. | |||||||||||||||||||
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