Musselman Credits CBA for Success
July 23, 2002 - Continental Basketball Association 1 (CBA 1) News Release
Boise, Idaho (July 22, 2002) â Atlanta Hawks assistant coach and summer head coach Eric Musselman capped off a perfect 6-0 mark in the Shaw's Pro Summer League (Boston) on Sunday with an 85-68 championship clinching victory over the Boston Celtics. According to Hawks General Manager Pete Babcock, the 11 members of the Hawks summer squad are vying for two or three invitations to the team's fall camp. These may seem like tough odds, but they create exactly the type of competition Musselman grew accustomed to training players for in his eight years with the Continental Basketball Association.
"One big thing with CBA players is that they are all lunch pail type of guys, they're not soft, they play with a lot of effort, energy and enthusiasm. They have a goal to get to the next level," said Musselman, who according to the San Francisco Chronicle and Oakland Tribune is the top candidate for the Golden State Warriors vacant head coach position.
"I think a lot of times players that don't have to go through what CBA players went through take their success for granted."
Musselman began his CBA career as general manager for the Rapid City (S.D.) Thrillers in 1988, before adding the title of head coach the following season. At 24, he was the youngest head coach in CBA history. He would go on to coach the franchise, which would become the Florida Beachdogs in 1995, through the 1996-97 season when he led them to a 38-18 finish and into the CBA Finals.
In six CBA seasons (assisted under his father, the late Bill Musselman, with the Minnesota Timberwolves in 1990-91) Musselman amassed a 270-122 (.689) mark, a winning percentage that is tied with his father for second best in CBA history behind Milwaukee Bucks head coach George Karl's mark of .727.
He was the first coach in professional basketball history to win 100 games by the age of 28, coached in an unprecedented five CBA All-Star Classics (1990, 1992, 1993, 1994 and 1997) and from 1990-97 had 23 CBA-to-NBA call-ups, the highest mark in the league during that time.
"There is no greater feeling than one, having a guy called up and two, watching him succeed at the next level," said Musselman. "A lot of these guys in the CBA have been told they're not good enough to make it, and it is the coach's job to say you are good enough, these are the things you need to do to get there, now lets get together and accomplish them."
In the fall of 1997 the University of San Diego alum joined the Orlando Magic as a scout. He served as an assistant with the Magic for two seasons before joining the Hawks in 2000, drawing on his experience in the CBA throughout.
"One good thing about the CBA is the quarter point system, it allowed the coach to have four mini games within one game. It put enormous pressure on the coaches," he said. "The constant turnover of personnel also makes the CBA coach's job difficult. You are forced to be a teacher all season long. I think former CBA coaches in the NBA, especially Flip Saunders (Minnesota) and George Karl, are constantly adding players during the course of the season because that's what they were used to doing in the CBA."
Among the summer league players the Hawks are considering adding to their 2002-03 roster, which last season featured an NBA high five CBA veterans (Emanuel Davis, Ira Newble, Reggie Slater, Leon Smith and Mark Stickland) is 2002 CBA MVP Miles Simon. "I think Miles Simon has NBA potentialâ He can play two positions, plays hard, has great understanding of the game and tremendous leadership qualities. He belongs in the NBA," Musselman said.
While reaching the NBA is always the goal for players, like Simon and was for coaches, like Musselman, there are still some enduring aspects of the CBA where the senior circuit comes up short. "There was a camaraderie with 10 players, a couple coaches and a trainer that's very special. You eat together, go to movies togetherâ The relationship you have with the guys and the trust you have with your coach in the CBA is pretty phenomenal," said Musselman.
"I kind of feel like I'm still part of the CBA family and always will be."
Continental Basketball Association 1 Stories from July 23, 2002
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