Former Storm coach earns Coach of the Year honors in D-League
April 11, 2007 - United States Basketball League (USBL)
Oklahoma Storm News Release
ENID, OK--Former Oklahoma Storm and current Idaho Stampede head coach Bryan Gates has been named as the inaugural winner of the Dennis Johnson Coach of the Year Award as voted on by NBA Development League head coaches.
Gates was the head coach of the United States Basketball League's Storm during the 2000 and 2001 seasons and returned to coach the team in 2005 and 2006. His squads won USBL division titles in 2001, 2005 and 2006. Last year's squad posted the USBL's best record at 23-9 before losing in the semi-finals of the USBL Post-Season Festival.
The award is named in honor of former NBA player and NBA and D-League coach Dennis Johnson, who passed away unexpectedly at age 52 on Feb. 22, 2007 after conducting practice for the Austin Toros, where he was coaching in his second season.
In his first season as head coach of the Stampede after serving as Johnson's assistant at Austin in 2005-06, Gates brought his team from a 1-6 start to a Western Division title. Currently 31-17 with two regular season games to play, Gates has an opportunity to guide Idaho to more regular season victories than any team since the league schedule was reduced to 50 games or less following the inaugural season. The 2002-03 Fayetteville Patriots finished 32-18.
"Bryan Gates has done a terrific job with his team this year. Although the Stampede struggled at the beginning of the season, Gates stayed the course and lead his team to the best record in the league, despite key personnel losses," said D-League Vice President of Operations and Player Personnel Chris Alpert. "He has been instrumental in the development of his players and bringing winning basketball to Idaho."
Coaching a style of play that emphasizes teamwork, rebounding and defense, Gates has the Stampede leading the D-League in total assists (24.8), assists per game (24.8), points allowed per game (96.9), opponents field goal percentage (.449) and defensive rebounding percentage (.719). Idaho has been in first place in the Western Division since Feb. 10.
The NBA Development League includes the Albuquerque Thunderbirds (N.M.), Anaheim Arsenal (Calif.), Arkansas RimRockers (Little Rock), Austin Toros (Texas), Bakersfield Jam (Calif.), Colorado 14ers (Broomfield), Dakota Wizards (Bismarck, N.D.), Fort Worth Flyers (Texas), Idaho Stampede (Boise), Los Angeles D-Fenders (Calif.), Sioux Falls Skyforce (S.D.) and Tulsa 66ers (Okla.). Expansion teams for the 2007-08 season have already been announced in Orem, Utah, the Rio Grande Valley in South Texas, Iowa and Fort Wayne, Ind.
United States Basketball League Stories from April 11, 2007
- Former Storm coach earns Coach of the Year honors in D-League - Oklahoma Storm
- Steelheads Score in USBL Draft - Gary Steelheads
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
