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Rudy Tomjanovich To Quit As Lakers Coach
Rudy Tomjanovich will step down as coach of the Los Angeles Lakers, sources told ESPN The Magazine's Ric Bucher on Tuesday.
A team spokesman confirmed that Tomjanovich, 56, is considering resigning because of health reasons -- though not a recurrence of bladder cancer -- but denied that a final decision had been made.
Bucher reported that the coach would step down after Tuesday's game against the Portland Trail Blazers, but spokesman John Black said that would not be the case.
"He's considering several options, and resigning is one of them. That decision has not been made," Black said. "There won't be an announcement tonight. He won't coach tonight [at home against Portland] because he's not feeling well. This has nothing to do with cancer."
Tomjanovich's health and his dissatisfaction with the way the Lakers are playing -- at 23-19 they are seventh in the Western Conference, and Kobe Bryant remains out due to an ankle injury -- contributed to the decision, sources told Bucher.
Tomjanovich, who won a pair of NBA championships with the Houston Rockets, missed Los Angeles' win over Charlotte on Sunday night because of a stomach virus and did not attend practice Monday. He returned to the coaching ranks this season after recovering from bladder cancer.
Assistant coach Frank Hamblen, the only holdover from former coach Phil Jackson's staff, coached the team against the Bobcats and is expected to coach them against the Trail Blazers -- if not longer.
Black said Tomjanovich has had a sinus infection as well as the stomach virus.
"It's health-related," Black said about Tomjanovich's absence. "He loves the team, and the team loves him."
After cutting ties with Jackson and trading Shaquille O'Neal during the offseason, the Lakers have been a mediocre team this season.
Black said he had no idea when Tomjanovich will be back on the bench -- if indeed he stays on the job.
Tomjanovich signed a five-year, $30 million contract last summer.
"He has discussed this with the appropriate people in the organization," Black said. "When he does make a decision, it will be announced at the appropriate time."
Tomjanovich succeeded Jackson when the Lakers did not renew the latter's contract; he was hired July 10. Jackson led the Lakers to three consecutive NBA championships as well as a berth in the finals last June, when they were upset by Detroit.
The Lakers traded O'Neal to Miami and kept Bryant after the season, re-signing the guard to a 7-year, $136.4 million contract.
Bryant sprained his right ankle Jan. 13 and hasn't played since.
"We don't know what's going on," Bryant said of Tomjanovich's status before Tuesday night's game against the Blazers. "He looked kind of disheveled a little bit [in practice]. Everybody's concerned about him as a person.
We all feel for him as a human being. We all love him."
Speaking before the Heat played at Dallas on Tuesday night, O'Neal wished Tomjanovich well.
"Me and Rudy have a great relationship," O'Neal said. "He should take care of himself. I hope it's not health-related because he's a great guy."
When asked what a possible coaching change would mean for the Lakers, O'Neal replied: "I don't know. I'm not concerned with the organization."
O'Neal was traded less than a week after Tomjanovich was hired. Because of their friendship, O'Neal called Tomjanovich before he got the Lakers job and told him he wasn't coming back, no matter what.
"You respect a coach that's done well with other big men, one of the greatest big men in my eyes, so I always had a lot of respect for him," O'Neal said. "I know he's a big man's type of coach."
O'Neal referred to former Rockets star Hakeem Olajuwon, who led the Rockets to a four-game sweep over O'Neal and the Orlando Magic in the 1995 NBA Finals.
Tomjanovich guided Houston to NBA titles in 1994 and 1995. He spent his entire playing career in the Rockets' organization.
During his tenure with the Rockets, Tomjanovich posted a 51-39 playoff record and also coached Team USA in international events from 1998-2000.
At the 1998 World Championships, the United States won a bronze medal after being forced to used non-NBA players due to labor strife. Tomjanovich skipped the 1999 Tournament of the Americas due to health issues but returned to guide Team USA to a gold medal at the 2000 Olympics.
Tomjanovich, an All-Star forward for the Rockets, survived one of the scariest moments in NBA history on Dec. 9, 1977, at the Forum in Inglewood, Calif., when Lakers forward Kermit Washington shattered his face with a devastating punch. Tomjanovich filed a civil suit against the Lakers and reached a $2 million settlement.
Tomjanovich, who left as coach of the Rockets after the 2002-03 season because of health reasons, looked forward to taking the reins with the Lakers before the the current season began.
"It's just excitement, nothing but excitement," Tomjanovich said last fall about his return. "It's a positive. I've been like a young schoolboy since this has happened. At times I haven't gotten to sleep, but it's not anxiety. It's excitement."
Hamblen has been a coach on five championship teams, three with the Lakers and two under Jackson with the Chicago Bulls.
Source: AP
A team spokesman confirmed that Tomjanovich, 56, is considering resigning because of health reasons -- though not a recurrence of bladder cancer -- but denied that a final decision had been made.
Bucher reported that the coach would step down after Tuesday's game against the Portland Trail Blazers, but spokesman John Black said that would not be the case.
"He's considering several options, and resigning is one of them. That decision has not been made," Black said. "There won't be an announcement tonight. He won't coach tonight [at home against Portland] because he's not feeling well. This has nothing to do with cancer."
Tomjanovich's health and his dissatisfaction with the way the Lakers are playing -- at 23-19 they are seventh in the Western Conference, and Kobe Bryant remains out due to an ankle injury -- contributed to the decision, sources told Bucher.
Tomjanovich, who won a pair of NBA championships with the Houston Rockets, missed Los Angeles' win over Charlotte on Sunday night because of a stomach virus and did not attend practice Monday. He returned to the coaching ranks this season after recovering from bladder cancer.
Assistant coach Frank Hamblen, the only holdover from former coach Phil Jackson's staff, coached the team against the Bobcats and is expected to coach them against the Trail Blazers -- if not longer.
Black said Tomjanovich has had a sinus infection as well as the stomach virus.
"It's health-related," Black said about Tomjanovich's absence. "He loves the team, and the team loves him."
After cutting ties with Jackson and trading Shaquille O'Neal during the offseason, the Lakers have been a mediocre team this season.
Black said he had no idea when Tomjanovich will be back on the bench -- if indeed he stays on the job.
Tomjanovich signed a five-year, $30 million contract last summer.
"He has discussed this with the appropriate people in the organization," Black said. "When he does make a decision, it will be announced at the appropriate time."
Tomjanovich succeeded Jackson when the Lakers did not renew the latter's contract; he was hired July 10. Jackson led the Lakers to three consecutive NBA championships as well as a berth in the finals last June, when they were upset by Detroit.
The Lakers traded O'Neal to Miami and kept Bryant after the season, re-signing the guard to a 7-year, $136.4 million contract.
Bryant sprained his right ankle Jan. 13 and hasn't played since.
"We don't know what's going on," Bryant said of Tomjanovich's status before Tuesday night's game against the Blazers. "He looked kind of disheveled a little bit [in practice]. Everybody's concerned about him as a person.
We all feel for him as a human being. We all love him."
Speaking before the Heat played at Dallas on Tuesday night, O'Neal wished Tomjanovich well.
"Me and Rudy have a great relationship," O'Neal said. "He should take care of himself. I hope it's not health-related because he's a great guy."
When asked what a possible coaching change would mean for the Lakers, O'Neal replied: "I don't know. I'm not concerned with the organization."
O'Neal was traded less than a week after Tomjanovich was hired. Because of their friendship, O'Neal called Tomjanovich before he got the Lakers job and told him he wasn't coming back, no matter what.
"You respect a coach that's done well with other big men, one of the greatest big men in my eyes, so I always had a lot of respect for him," O'Neal said. "I know he's a big man's type of coach."
O'Neal referred to former Rockets star Hakeem Olajuwon, who led the Rockets to a four-game sweep over O'Neal and the Orlando Magic in the 1995 NBA Finals.
Tomjanovich guided Houston to NBA titles in 1994 and 1995. He spent his entire playing career in the Rockets' organization.
During his tenure with the Rockets, Tomjanovich posted a 51-39 playoff record and also coached Team USA in international events from 1998-2000.
At the 1998 World Championships, the United States won a bronze medal after being forced to used non-NBA players due to labor strife. Tomjanovich skipped the 1999 Tournament of the Americas due to health issues but returned to guide Team USA to a gold medal at the 2000 Olympics.
Tomjanovich, an All-Star forward for the Rockets, survived one of the scariest moments in NBA history on Dec. 9, 1977, at the Forum in Inglewood, Calif., when Lakers forward Kermit Washington shattered his face with a devastating punch. Tomjanovich filed a civil suit against the Lakers and reached a $2 million settlement.
Tomjanovich, who left as coach of the Rockets after the 2002-03 season because of health reasons, looked forward to taking the reins with the Lakers before the the current season began.
"It's just excitement, nothing but excitement," Tomjanovich said last fall about his return. "It's a positive. I've been like a young schoolboy since this has happened. At times I haven't gotten to sleep, but it's not anxiety. It's excitement."
Hamblen has been a coach on five championship teams, three with the Lakers and two under Jackson with the Chicago Bulls.
Source: AP
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