By FRANK WARD
DailyPhiladelphian.com Editor
A year removed from seemingly having zero interest in Doug Collins and hiring Eddie Jordan, Sixers GM Ed Stefanski finally got his coaching search right.
Reports indicate that the Sixers and Collins have agreed to terms and the announcement could come on Friday. The deal is rumored to be for either three or four years.
Doug Collins is leaving the comfort of the TV booth to get down and dirty with the Sixers.
Collins brings a career 332-287 record to South Philly. The Sixers become the fourth stop on the Collins coaching carousel that includes Chicago, Detroit and Washington. Michael Jordan’s first coach was winner with the Bulls and Pistons. He recorded identical 37-45 records in his two years as the Wizards coach, a job he more or less took as a favor to Jordan who headed the team at that point.
Known for preaching tenacious defense, Collins automatically brings something last year’s Sixers team sorely lacked. The former Sixers all-star guard will command respect that the players have not had to give a coach since Mo Cheeks was relieved of his duties two years ago.
Collins becomes the fourth coach in three years, and hopefully will finally bring some stability to a storied franchise that has become among the laughingstocks of the NBA.
Some may question why Collins would want to leave the comfort of the broadcast booth for such a seemingly bad situation. He was interested long before the team hit the lottery and jumped from sixth to second in next month’s annual NBA Draft. That pick should net the sgooting guard the team has been lacking.
Well rested after serving as an analyst on national broadcasts for the last seven years, the 58-year-old is ready to give it one last go as a head coach. Plus, if this doesn’t work out, he’ll have a TV job waiting.
He inherits a team that was putrid last year but made the playoffs the previous two years. Andre Iguodala, Thaddeus Young and Jrue Holiday provide a nice, young nucleus. The addition of Eric Turner, the team’s likely draft pick next month, will only make the future that much brighter.
The team needs someone to teach Holiday and turner the importance of defense and playing the guard position well. Who better than a successful proven coach who was an star guard himself.
Stefanski finally did something right as the key decision-maker of the franchise.
Things are looking up in Sixerville.
