June 15, 2006
SACRAMENTO, CALIF. - The Sacramento Kings named former Torero Eric Musselman as the team's new head coach, it was announced by Kings' President of Basketball Operations Geoff Petrie on June 3rd. Prior to signing on as the 20th head coach in Kings' franchise history, Musselman spent the past two seasons as an assistant coach for the Memphis Grizzlies under Mike Fratello. This is Musselman's second stint as a NBA head coach; his first job was with the Golden State Warriors.
Musselman joins former Torero basketball players and USD graduates Bernie Bickerstaff (Charlotte Bobcats GM and head coach) and Mike Brown (Cleveland head coach) as current NBA head coaches. Mike Brown, in his first year as an NBA head coach this past season, became the winningest rookie head coach in Cavaliers' history as he led Cleveland to a 50-32 record and the third best record in the Eastern Conference. He became the first rookie head coach in the NBA since Rick Carlisle in 2001-02 to post 50 wins in a season. During the regular season and playoffs, Brown led Cleveland to a perfect 7-0 record in overtime games while the Cavaliers posted a 14-5 record in games decided by three points or less. In the playoffs, Brown became the first rookie head coach in franchise history to lead his team to a playoff series win as Cleveland beat Washington 4-2 in the first round. The Cavaliers finished the playoffs with a 7-6 record which gives Brown the highest playoff winning percentage (.538) of any head coach in team history.
A young, energetic coach with a proven track record, Eric Musselman has been successful on various levels throughout his coaching career. He was named head coach of the Golden State Warriors on July 6, 2002 at the ripe age of 37, making him the youngest head coach in the NBA at the time. In two seasons, he guided the Warriors to a 75-89 mark (.463), including a 38-44 record during his first season at the helm, which earned Golden State the NBA's most improved record in 2003 (17-win improvement from the year before). His efforts that season made him the runner-up for the NBA Coach of the Year Award. Despite losing young stars Antawn Jamison and Gilbert Arenas the following year via trade and free agency, respectively, Musselman's Warriors posted a 37-45 mark.
Prior to joining the Warriors, Musselman worked as an assistant coach for the Atlanta Hawks (2000-02) under Lon Kruger and as an assistant coach for the Orlando Magic (1998-00) under Chuck Daly and Doc Rivers. His first NBA coaching experience came as an assistant coach for the Minnesota Timberwolves (1990-91) on the staff of his late father, Bill Musselman. "I'm extremely excited and thankful for this opportunity," said Musselman. "The Sacramento Kings is an outstanding organization with terrific ownership, talented players, a great staff, and a fan-base with unparallel passion for their team."
Before his assignment with the Magic, Musselman served a seven-year stint as the head coach of the Florida Beach Dogs of the Continental Basketball Association (CBA), where he posted a 270-122 record (.688), earning the second-highest winning percentage in league history behind George Karl. From 1990 through 1997, Musselman had 24 players called-up to the NBA, the highest number in the league during that span. He holds the distinction of being the only person in CBA history to coach in five league All-Star Games (1990, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1997) and was the first coach in professional basketball history to win 100 games by the age of 28. When he was 23, Musselman became the youngest coach in CBA history. As the Rapid City Thrillers' (later became Florida Beach Dogs) general manager in 1988-89, he hired current Pistons head coach Flip Saunders as the team's head coach.
Musselman also served as head coach of the Florida Sharks of the United States Basketball League. In the summers of 1995 and 1996, he coached the Sharks to a combined 53-3 record (.946, including playoffs) and back-to-back USBL Championships. He holds the highest winning percentage in league history.
A graduate of the University of San Diego, Musselman played in two NCAA Tournaments as a member of the Toreros basketball team, and was a three-time West Coast Conference Scholar-Athlete. He was selected by the CBA's Albany Patroons in the fifth round (58th overall) of the 1987 Draft following his collegiate career.
- Content courtesty from Sacramento Kings Media Relations -
