George Karl
Keep your friends close, but keep your enemies closer. Or is it the enemy of my enemy is my ally? In any case the Sacramento Kings parted way with the ineffective but always outspoken George Karl this off-season. Karl, as you may recall, was very outspoken about the strategy of former president Sam Hinkie while his own team was struggling.
But Hinkie is no longer in Philadelphia, and George Karl is no longer in Sacramento. Is this destiny?
Sir Charles In Charge
It could be. Karl is another assistant coaching prospect with nearby roots, originally from Penn Hills Pennsylvania. His coaching record, amassed over a span of 27 years of NBA experience, is 1175 wins to 824 losses. His playoff record is 80 wins to 105 losses. To take this team to the next level, Karl’s name should certainly be considered.
Karl is a passionate coach, and demands 100% from his players. That has gotten him at odds with star caliber players who do not play up to their potential on all plays. Karl hammers repeatedly the need to play at a fast basketball pace and wants his players to constantly push the pace and attack the rim with the dribble, while also moving the ball as rapidly as possible. A lot of players would say that’s how they like to play, but it takes excellent conditioning and tons of work to actually pull it off possession after possession.
Karl earned the nickname “Furious George,” which says it all, and he will use the media to call out players he feels are not giving full effort. “Respect the game” is one of his favorite phrases. His style would be a perfect “bad cop” to the “good cop” demeanor of Brett Brown, and the blend could be incredibly effective, particularly in a city of Philadelphia which already sets a high bar for player effort. Would Karl consider an assistant position at this stage of his career? Perhaps not, but he would be the type of assistant that the Colangelo family would like to be in place to ensure progress of the team occurs at their already stated rapid pace.
Next: David Blatt