Of the 13 NBA head coaching vacancies this summer, twelve were filled by July 3rd.
Having a head coach is important to the development of young players—as they need to acclimate themselves to the coach’s system and prove they deserve to make the regular season roster. So, it only makes sense that teams would want to have the position filled before beginning the talent evaluation process that is the NBA’s summer league.
A week after the summer league’s conclusion and the Philadelphia 76ers stand alone as the only team in the NBA without a head coach.
Their search could soon be over, as Yahoo! Sports’ Adrian Wojnarowski reports.
Y! Sources: Portland assistant David Vanterpool has emerged as a serious candidate in Sixers head coaching search. http://t.co/1A2DPuigGM
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@WojYahooNBA) July 29, 2013
Vanterpool has only one season of experience as an NBA assistant with the Portland Trail Blazers. However, he spent the previous five years as an assistant to well-respected Euroleague coach Ettore Messinai with CSKA Moscow.
The Sixers have come taken some hits from prominent media members, including former Sixers’ star Charles Barkley, for taking so long in their efforts to hire a coach.
Perhaps the long search will soon be over. Even so, Sixers GM Sam Hinkie seems content to keep Philly fans waiting.
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