Every morning, we compile the links of the day and dump them here… highlighting the big storyline. Because there's nothing quite as satisfying as a good morning dump.
Boston's top assistant spot has been the fast track to an NBA coaching gig in recent seasons. Both Thibodeau and Frank have landed head coaching offers in little more than a calendar year. As long as Boston continues to win games, teams will be examining the man sitting closest to Rivers (and the rest of his staff, as proven this summer with coaching associate Darren Erman getting wooed to Golden State).
So what about Longabardi? The 38-year-old's resume as a coach includes seven years as an assistant at Pfeiffer University, Adelphi University, Lafayette College and Towson University before landing a job as assistant video coordinator with the Rockets. He spent four seasons there, the final two in the role of assistant coach/video coordinator, before coming to Boston. The Brooklyn native earned the nickname "Mr. Defense" during his college playing days at Newberry College (he later transferred and graduated from Frostburg State University).
That defensive focus might make him the ideal in-house candidate to jump into the role of top assistant. There's also something to be said for maintaining familiarity with Boston set to have its third top assistant in three seasons. With Rivers agreeing to a five-year extension at the start of the offseason, a younger top assistant might mean less changeover in the coaching staff (at least for a short while).
ESPN Boston – Help Wanted: Top Assistant
Prior to reading Chris Forsberg's blog post, I had not heard of Mike Longabardi. But he gets my vote over Larry Brown.
Longabardi appears to be a hard-working, dedicated coach with a passion for the game. A guy who will slide into the position seamlessly. A guy who will put the team first. I'm not sure we can say the same for Brown.
The rest of the links:
Globe – Celtics draft choice Moore looks overseas | Herald – Moore exit visas likely | ESPN Boston – Moore mulling overseas offers |
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