Eric Musselman to Coach NBA Development League Select Team at 2012 NBA Summer League in Las Vegas
Published on June 4, 2012 under NBA G League (G League) News Release
New York, June 4, 2012 -- The NBA Development League today announced that Eric Musselman, the head coach of the Los Angeles D-Fenders and the 2012 NBA Development League Coach of the Year, will serve as head coach for the 2012 NBA D-League Select team that will play in NBA Summer League in Las Vegas in July.
Musselman joins the Select team coming off of his first season in Los Angeles, where he guided the team to a 38-12 record, the best in NBA D-League history. Musselman's D-Fenders rode their regular-season success into the NBA D-League playoffs, advancing to the NBA D-League Finals, before falling in three games to the Austin Toros. Musselman joined the D-Fenders following a one-season stint at the helm of the Reno Bighorns, when the team compiled a Western Conference-best 34-16 record.
The NBA D-League Select team, which features the NBA D-League's top prospects, returns to NBA Summer League following appearance in 2009 and 2010. Musselman joins Scott Roth (2009) and Nick Nurse (2010) as head coaches of the NBA D-League Select Team.
"We're thrilled to have Eric coach our Select team in Las Vegas this summer," said Chris Alpert, vice president of basketball operations and player personnel for the NBA D-League. "Eric has proven to be a passionate, energetic coach and a first class developer of talent. We're looking very forward to working with him during the Summer League."
A tenured coach, Musselman spent more than 10 years coaching in the NBA before joining the NBA D-League ranks. He began his NBA coaching career in 1997, spending three seasons as an assistant coach with the Orlando Magic, before joining the Atlanta Hawks in the same roll in 2000. He earned his first head coaching job with the Golden State Warriors in 2002, compiling a 75-89 record over two seasons, and was runner up for the 2003 NBA Coach of the Year Award. Musselman spent the two subsequent seasons as the top assistant under head coach Mike Fratello with the Memphis Grizzlies before regaining a head coaching job with the Sacramento Kings in 2006, posting a 33-49 mark on the season.
Prior to joining the NBA's coaching ranks, Musselman coached in the Continental Basketball Association from 1989 and 1997. During that time, he became the youngest coach in CBA history, when he was named head coach of the Rapid City Thrillers at the age of 23, and went on to be the first coach in professional basketball history to win 100 games by the age of 28. He was named the head coach of the CBA All-Star Game a record five times, and owns a 270-122 (.688) record in the CBA, second to only George Karl.
The NBA D-League Select Team's roster and schedule will be announced at a later date.
NBA G League Stories from June 4, 2012
- Eric Musselman to Coach NBA Development League Select Team at 2012 NBA Summer League in Las Vegas - G League
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