Philadelphia 76ers Curious Hire Asst Head Coach Jim OBrien

A 2004 Interview Which Could Happen in 2016

When he was hired on April 21, 2004 as the head coach of the then Philadelphia 76ers, Jim O’Brien volunteered to join EPSN’s live chat with the fans.  That interview was pretty telling then, and while some answers may have changed, it’s certainly a lot of fun to see the questions and answers from way back then (particularly now when we know how things had turned out)

"Matt Raisman (Huntingdon Valley) Coach I am glad you are in Philly! I wanted to know why you choose this position out of all the other openings? Jim O’Brien (2:03 PM)There were no other openings when Philadelphia asked me to coach their team. But I have had a dream to coach this team since they were called the Warriors. It is also intriguing to coach a guy like Allen Iverson and to have a core of veterans like Allen and Eric and Aaron and some good young players like Sam Dalembert and Willie Green. So I’m real excited about the possibilities with this team. Aliziak (Miami, FL)Congratulations on the new gig. This is your first time coming to an NBA team as a head coach from the start. What things did you learn in Boston that you will do differently? Jim O’Brien (2:05 PM)I don’t know if there’s anything I will do dramatically different. I think the way I tried to lead my team in Boston is based on years of studying great coaches in the past. I think communicatioin is a key. In the NBA, unlike college basketball, you have to realize you are coaching adults. These things change from city to city. But I look forward to this task in Philadelphia. William, charleston, wva Do you see Derrick Coleman being with this team and having a big impact next year? His size and rebounding ability would be a big help to us if healthy. Jim O’Brien (2:06 PM) We have not made a firm decision on Derrick. Billy and his staff, along with me, will evaluate all our players in depth, including Derrick. We want to see if this is a place, an environment that Derrick will thrive in. kenny from springfield Your a awsome Coach and I wish you the the best in Philly. What type of player do you look for in the draft?? Jim O’Brien (2:07 PM) We’ll probably take the best player available, regardless of position, regardles of age. It won’t matter what part of the world he’s from either. We think there’s good depth and even if we pick at No. 9, we think we can get a good player who will help us build going into the future. Vince (France) What do you hope for Samuel Dalembert next year? Will he be starter nex season? Jim O’Brien (2:09 PM) I have high expectations for Samuel. I’d like him to continue to develop, which will happen with lots of hard work from him and guidance from our staff. We think he can be a starter, but we also need some depth there, and we’ll want to bring someone in to help in that regard. Depending on the quality of that player, and the competition, we’ll see if that means Sam will start. Alessandro (Worcester MA) What will it feel like to become a conference rival to the team that you were at the helm of for the last few seasons? Jim O’Brien (2:10 PM) I’m sure it will be a very interesting challenge. I’ve put alot of my life into the Celtics over the past seven years. I’m very thankful for the opportunity the Celtics afforded me and the O’Brien family. But now I’m with the Sixers and there has been a long rivalry between the two teams, and I expect that a healthy rivalry will continue. jah (stroudsburg) Where do you feel this team needs the most improvement and how will your coaching style impact that? Jim O’Brien (2:12 PM) If you’re talking about overall improvement, I think we’re not happened (s.b.Happy) with how we finished the year defensively, and we didn’t like our field goal percentage offensively. We need to get the proper people to execute our defensive plan and to get our people to work hard on defense. Offensively, I want to surround Allen Iverson with people who will make it hard for teams to trap him. I want people who can knock down shots and make teams pay for doubling Allen. Alexander Fox (Altoona, Pa) I am so happy your the 76ers coach! I wanted to know your thoughts on the young players on this team (Green, Korver, etc.) Jim O’Brien (2:15 PM) I think Willie Green is gonna be a heckuva player. Not only can he make his shot, but he can learn to be a good defensive player. Kyle’s ability to hit his shot from deep is well documented. He’ll need to improve his all-around game. Samuel is a good player too. He has to create an attitude defensively where he won’t want to allow teams to get layups against us and he needs to work on his footwork. John Salmon is very athletic and needs to work on some things too, including expanding his offensive game. Chris (Boston)Hey Coach, Do you think you’ll be able to surpass your father-in-law’s (Dr. Jack) success with the sixers as a coach? Jim O’Brien (2:16 PM) I’m unfamiliar with Jack’s level of success with the Sixers (Laughing). The relationship I have with Dr. Jack is very important to me, not only as a father figure, but as coaching mind. I try to talk to him often, he’s been a great role model for me and a great resource for me too. Ryan Phi Going from boston to philadelphia do you think you can have the same success with the current sixers roster? Jim O’Brien (2:18 PM) This will be my fourth head coaching job, two in college and my second here in the pros. We have a track record of success and we tend to turn things around pretty fast in the first year. We concentrate key ingrediants like physical conditioning and team chemistry. We want a close-knit group who treat each other in a positive manner. I’ve never seen a basketball team worth anything that didn’t concentrate on those areas. Marilyn ( los Angeles) Are you looking forward to coaching AI, if he is to remain a sixer? Do you think the sixers have what it takes to get to the easter finals next year with the right additions to the team? Jim O’Brien (2:21 PM) Yeah, I’m very much looking forward to coaching Allen. Anyone who has coached against him will tell you he is a nightmare to coach against, so it will be fun to have him on my side. Nobody gives more to a game in order to win. I think it’s a key we draft well, we need to fill some holes in the 4 and 5 position. Any opportunities to upgrade our team, we’ll take. On the playoffs, the key is to get homecourt advantage. We want to play defense, which leads to wins in the playoffs. We’re gonna need some help, but we think if we get the commitment we need and bond as a group going into the season, we’ll be able to challenge teams in the playoffs. Jim O’Brien (2:22 PM) I enjoyed the time chatting with the NBA fans and the Sixers fans in particular. It’s always good to interact with fans and I’m looking forward to some big things in Philadelphia next season."

And there you have it, some twelve years later.  Why is this role so important to the future of the Philadelphia 76ers? If the team fails to meet the expectations of the front office, this position is likely to be the first considered to run the team.  It happened in Toronto, and could happen in Philadelphia.

Next: Philadelphia 76ers: 5 Reasons Jerryd Bayless is a Good Signing

And so, rather than give you a blip of information, I feel it’s important to truly know our “next in command” – both the positives and the negatives.   The worst feeling is failed expectations.
I think Jim O’Brien can work out, as long as he works well with Brett Brown.  He brings a completely different style and approach.  We’ll see soon enough.