Humphries Set to Return as Bighorns Coach

Published on August 11, 2009 under NBA G League (G League)
Reno Bighorns News Release


RENO, Nev. - Jay Humphries, who patrolled the sidelines in the Reno Bighorns' inaugural season a year ago, will return as the team's head coach for the 2009-10 NBA Development League season, the Bighorns announced today.

Humphries, 46, led Reno to a 25-25 mark in 2008-09, its first season of NBA D-League basketball. The Bighorns fell just short of a playoff berth despite winning seven of their last nine games.

"I'm very excited to be returning to Reno," Humphries said. "I'm hopeful to make our team better, and help our young athletes reach their goals professionally."

Humphries, the 13th overall pick by the Phoenix Suns in the 1984 NBA Draft, enjoyed an 11-year NBA career from 1984-1995. Playing with Phoenix, Milwaukee, Utah and Boston, the guard averaged 11.1 points and 5.5 assists per game in his career. From 1988-94, Humphries made six-straight postseason appearances, averaging 9.7 points and 4.6 assists in 41-career playoff games.

After his playing career ended, Humphries joined a number of NBA legends-including Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Oscar Robertson and Adrian Dantley-for a series of exhibition games overseas versus the Chinese National Team.

Before joining the professional ranks, Humphries starred at the University of Colorado, where he held 16 school records, including career assists (562), career steals (309) and career games played (112).

"We're thrilled to bring back Jay for the upcoming Reno Bighorns season," said Stuart Katzoff, president and managing partner of the Reno Bighorns. "He's well respected around the league, and his playing career makes him an excellent leader to develop up-and-coming NBA stars."

Prior to heading up the Bighorns staff last season, Humphries was an assistant coach on Mike D'antoni's Phoenix Suns squad that won 55 games and advanced to the playoffs in 2007-08. His coaching career began overseas in the Chinese Basketball Association and the Korean Professional Basketball League. After a one-year stint with the Jilin Northeastern Tigers in China, Humphries would go on to serve as head coach of the Inchon ET Land Black Slamer and as an associate head coach for the Wonju TG Xers in South Korea.

Humphries and his wife Angelica reside in Parker, Colo. The couple has three daughters: Britni (22), Courtni (21) and J'den (9) and one son: Xavier (19).

Season tickets are available now for the 2009-10 season of Reno Bighorns Basketball. For more information, call (775) 284-2NBA or log-on to RenoBighorns.com.

The Reno Bighorns will begin their second season in the NBA Development League in 2009-10. The NBA Development League, founded in 2001, is the NBA's official minor league and featured 16 teams with direct affiliations to NBA teams during the 2008-09 season. This Fall, two new NBA D-League teams will begin play in Portland, Maine and Springfield, Mass.-the birthplace of basketball. Eighty-four former NBA Development League players were on 2008-09 NBA end-of-season rosters, amounting to almost 20 percent of NBA players, and the league continues to develop coaches, referees, and front office staff for the NBA and its teams. In fostering the league's connection to the community, its teams, players and staff promote health and wellness, support local needs and interests, and assist in educational development through NBA D-League Cares programs. The NBA D-League also advances the game of basketball as the research and development arm of the NBA. Throughout the season fans can watch all NBA D-League games on NBA Futurecast, the free live Web-streaming initiative found at nba.com/futurecast.

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