Stephen A Smith FURIOUS about Black coaches in the NBA Black Live Matter protests for George Floyd

Stephen A Smith

I can appreciate the players asking for more support for Black Coaches & Executives. But I’m still Where the were they all these years? This is their wheelhouse. They could’ve addressed this years ago.

@stephenasmith

#BLM #NBA #BlackLivesMatter

Atlanta Hawks head coach Lloyd Pierce didn’t think the NBA would be his route to a head coaching job, simply because he didn’t fit the typical head-coaching profile.

with the Boston Celtics in 2008 and is one of the longest-tenured head coaches in the league, joining the Clippers for the 2013-14 season.

Rivers is acutely aware that he’s the anomaly, in his third NBA head-coaching job and being the calming presence while steering the Clippers franchise away from embarrassment after the Donald Sterling scandal in 2014.

“We’ve taken a hit lately, in my opinion,” Rivers said about the state of black coaching in the NBA. “We gotta get back to it. I don’t know why, it just seems to go in ebbs and flows.”

As easily as Pierce can name the men who walk the sideline, Rivers can name men who haven’t gotten calls for repeat opportunities — probably the aspect that bothers him more than sheer numbers.

“I can name a bunch of guys. Ty [Lue] should be coaching. Mike Woodson, you look at his record and he couldn’t get another job,” Rivers said.

Woodson coached the Hawks to three playoff appearances from 2008-10 and then had a winning record with the Knicks in nearly three seasons from 2012-14. The Knicks haven’t been to the playoffs since Woodson was there.

Lue is on Rivers’ staff not long after leading the Cleveland Cavaliers to an NBA title in 2016 and three straight Finals appearances before being fired six games into the 2018-19 season. He was in talks to coach the Lakers last summer, but the sides couldn’t reach an agreement, so he joined Rivers with the Clippers.

There are others, coaches who won’t win in the battle of public opinion but have won on the sidelines. Jason Kidd is an assistant with Frank Vogel for the Lakers, alongside Lionel Hollins. Mark Jackson established the Golden State Warriors as playoff contenders before being dismissed in 2014, as Steve Kerr developed them into champions the next season. Jackson has been a commentator for ABC/ESPN but hasn’t gotten a serious look since.

“We just gotta stay at it. Keep at it. Keep meeting people,” Rivers said. “We gotta get more access for the black assistants to meet owners. You hire who you’re comfortable with, who you have a relationship with. Our league does a good job of that, but we can do better so we can establish relationships.”

Pierce has a circle, even though he doesn’t consider himself in that group of coaches who put themselves out there at every turn. In his group chat are men who are in the same boat — guys who didn’t play professionally, started out in the video room and have grinded their way to better spots on the bench, even if there is a glass ceiling.

It’s Pierce, David Vanterpool (Timberwolves), Phil Handy (Lakers), Bickerstaff (Cavs), former Knicks coach David Fizdale, Jamahl Mosley (Mavs), Johnnie Bryant (Jazz) and J.J. Outlaw (Cavs). They all trade similar war stories about the business, what they hope to accomplish and the struggles they encounter daily. Pierce feels Vanterpool has been knocking on the door long enough, interviewing for a number of jobs over the last few years but not getting the opportunity to run his own show.

“The numbers are what the numbers are,” Pierce said. “Is it ever gonna be 12? Is it ever gonna be predominantly black coaches?”

He points upstairs, and while agreeing with Rivers that getting in front of ownership is important, having more color on the executive side is critical.

“How do you know guys are really getting their opportunities? If you start seeing more black coaches in addition to black general managers,” Pierce said. “That’s where the growth will be, the perception of opportunity. You’ll see more black coaches if you see more black GM’s.”

That number doesn’t seem to be on the rise, which could contribute to the lack of quality jobs black coaches are offered. Pierce is in a rebuilding situation in Atlanta, Williams took over a team in Phoenix that hasn’t made the playoffs since 2010. Many had their doubts when Fizdale took over the Knicks in May 2018, and he was fired earlier this season.

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