Lakers Roster, News and Updates 2013: LA Hires Rambis and Davis as New Assistant Coaches
The Los Angeles Lakers are taking their team rebuilding process seriously, hiring two new assistant coaches in Kurt Rambis and Johnny Davis.
After a disappointing 2012-13 season, the Lakers are looking to bounce back with a few player acquisitions, and now, with additional help on the staff. The team announced Monday that they are bringing former Laker Kurt Rambis and former Toronto Raptors assistant coach Johnny Davis onto the team. They will be joining Mike D'Antoni as head coach, as well as Dan D'Antoni, Larry Lewis and Mark Madsen on the coaching staff.
"Kurt and Johnny bring many years of NBA experience both as coaches and as former players to this team," Mike D'Antoni said in a statement published on the Lakers' official site.
According to the Sacramento Bee, Rambis was among the players that led Lakers' "'Showtime' era" when they won the NBA Championship in 1982, '85, '87 and '88. He was also assistant coach for LA for three seasons a few years after his retirement and was head coach of the team for 13 games during the 1998-99 season.
"Kurt is a great basketball mind, extremely good at working with big men and his experience as a head coach in this league is going to prove very helpful to our staff. Johnny is a two-time NBA head coach with years of experience playing as well as coaching in this league," D'Antoni added.
As for Davis, he has over two decades of coaching experience to offer LAL. He was an assistant coach for the Raptors, Memphis Grizzlies, Indiana Pacers, Minnesota Timberwolves, Orlando Magic, New Jersey Nets, Portland Trail Blazers, LA Clippers and the Atlanta Hawks. Davis also served as head coach for the Orlando and the Philadelphia 76ers.
The two are expected to help the Kobe Bryant-led squad become a championship contender again in the upcoming NBA season.