Pels make Asik trade, nab Smith in NBA Draft
July 3, 2014OUR VIEW: Happy 238th birthday, America
July 3, 2014
A former NBA head coach will be on the bench for the LSU men’s basketball team this coming fall.
Tigers head coach Johnny Jones announced last week that former NBA player and head coach Eric Musselman will join the team’s staff as associate head coach.
Musselman, 49, has spent the past two seasons at Arizona State University. During his career, he has also served as the head coach of the Golden State Warriors (2002-04) and Sacramento Kings (2006-07). Musselman is the current national coach for the Venezuela men’s basketball national team, a squad that is in the Top 20 in the FIBA world rankings.
“I really am excited to join the LSU family, a place that has such a storied athletic program,” Musselman said. “(We want to) help Coach Jones and the staff continue to make strides. It will be challenging to learn about another great conference in the SEC. Anytime you can join a program that has a Final Four appearance in the past decade and 20 NCAA Tournaments overall, you know great things can happen again.”
For the LSU men’s basketball team, Musselman is a huge get.
The new Tigers’ coach is well respected throughout coaching circles, and is widely regarded as a bright basketball mind.
Since getting involved in coaching, Musselman has coached in multiple leagues, having success at virtually every stop along the way.
Musselman coached in the CBA from 1989-1997, winning 68.8 percent of his games, giving him the second-best winning percentage in the history of that league.
The coach also has coached in the USBL and the NBA’s developmental league during his two-plus decades in the profession.
But Musselman is most well known for his time as an NBA head coach, specifically with the Golden State Warriors.
During the 2002-03 NBA season, Musselman was the runner-up for NBA Coach of the Year after leading the Warriors to a 38-44 record with a mostly overmatched roster.
Musselman got into the college ranks for the first time in 2013 when he joined Arizona State’s staff.
During his two seasons with the Sun Devils, the team won 43 games and advanced to both the NIT and the NCAA Tournament.
During his time with the Sun Devils, Musselman was known for opponent scouting, recruiting and on-court player development.
While working with the Sun Devils, Musselman has also doubled as the national coach for the Venezuela National Team. Before coaching the South American-based squad, Musselman also anchored the Dominican Republic National Team in 2010. As a head coach, Musselman’s overall record as a head coach is 506-296.
Jones said he’s excited to have Musselman on his bench, adding that all of the coach’s experience will be valuable to the Tigers’ program into the future.
Musselman’s hire is subject to standard background check and approval by the LSU Board of Supervisors.
“We are excited about the addition of coach Eric Musselman,” Jones said. “He brings a wealth of NBA and college experience that will be beneficial as we strive to continue to take LSU basketball to new heights. He will be involved in all aspects of our program.”
The LSU men’s basketball team is widely expected to contend for a spot in the NCAA Tournament next spring.
LSU lost Johnny O’Bryant to the NBA Draft, but returns a talented core of returnees, including post player Jordan Mickey, Jarrel Martin and several other key contributors.
