Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Willing to Coach the Bucks

Chillbongo · by **Chillbongo** on Tue Mar 05, 2013 6:30 pm

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar should be coach of the Bucks

One of the ways you can tell that this edition of the Milwaukee Bucks is capturing some real attention is that people are starting to talk about them and about what they need to do to get better.

If the Bucks were a hopeless cause they would be absent from the sports talk radio airwaves, but the air is full of Bucks talk.

Last week, for example, I listened to almost two straight hours of speculation on who should be the next head coach for the Bucks. The list was full of the usual suspects: fired coaches, retired coaches, assistant coaches, college coaches.

One name I didn't hear, and one that I think should move to the very head of the line is a man I talked with last week who said he'd jump at the chance to coach the Bucks.

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.

I asked him flat out if he would be willing to be the head coach of the Bucks.

"Of course," he replied.

Link to the rest

http://onmilwaukee.com/sports/articles/begelabduljabbarbuckscoach.html

Finwë · by **Finwë** on Tue Mar 05, 2013 7:16 pm

Interesting. They rely too much on guard play though, they don't have any elite big men. How would he take it when Jennings and Ellis were jacking up perimeter shots?

Weezy · by **Weezy** on Tue Mar 05, 2013 7:30 pm

If he wants it he deserves a shot at coaching SOMEWHERE, not really fair he hasn't gotten one to this point.

Rooscooter · by **Rooscooter** on Tue Mar 05, 2013 9:12 pm

The story here isn't Kareem wanting to coach or getting a shot at coaching. It's where.... He didn't leave Milwaukee on very good terms. Not as hyped as LeBron's Cleveland abandonment but for Bucks fans and the city it was just as bad.

I'd like to see him get a shot. He's always wanted it and I'm not sure why he hasn't gotten the opportunity. He's got to be as good at it as 2/3 of the guys doing it in the NBA.

Chillbongo · by **Chillbongo** on Wed Mar 06, 2013 1:03 pm

^ Maybe this is his way to make amends?

Agree that if they got a big man Kareem would be solid. Larry Sanders numbers aren't bad for a young blood. Anyone know about his game?

No idea what they're doing with their all back court lineup of Reddick/Ellis/Jennings. They could flip Monta and Mbah a Moute for a decent wing or a big.

Team has potential....but they need a superstar to be in the top 4 in the conference.

John3:16 · by **John3:16** on Wed Mar 06, 2013 1:15 pm

Small sample size, but Kareem coached on a Reservation for a school of Native Americans and they won their championship in his only year there. He definitely knows the game. His highschool coach was one of the best ever (went on to coach Canada in the Olympics). His college coach was THE best ever. He played for West and Riley and worked under Phil. However, I view communication as a huge requirement of being a coach and I'm not sure Kareem (one of my top 3 favorite players of all time) is a strong communicator. I do hope he gets a shot and succeeds. I'll be rooting for him.

Frank Dux · by **Frank Dux** on Wed Mar 06, 2013 1:22 pm

Kareem is a great basketball mind, but his personality doesn't strike me as the head coach type.

dj vitus · by **dj vitus** on Wed Mar 06, 2013 4:15 pm

How about we pay you big $$$ to teach Dwight how to perfect your skyhook.

I mean why not; all Dwight does is short hooks at the rim.

He has one of the highest reaches in the league anyway. Plus, it'll add distance to his shot, and defenders won't be able to sag off him anymore.

Chillbongo · by **Chillbongo** on Wed Mar 06, 2013 4:35 pm

I definitely can see the lack in communication. But what if he took the Phil approach...instilled a philosophy in his players and tried to get them to unite together. I could see him being the next "Zen Master"....in a way.

Obviously he'll need to be more vocal, and whether he can remains to be seen.

He probably wants a bigger stage, probably is past mentoring other players. Plus Dwight is apparently doing it with Hakeem, and Bynum rejected his tutelage....so yeah. Maybe he's the next Showtime Laker to ditch us in the Jim Buss Era

432J · by **432J** on Thu Mar 07, 2013 8:10 am

Frank Dux wrote:Kareem is a great basketball mind, but his personality doesn't strike me as the head coach type.

exactly why i believe he's never been a head coach

gcclaker · by **gcclaker** on Thu Mar 07, 2013 1:29 pm

Abdul-Jabbar is neither a screamer or an automaton but I think the current players know of his legacy enough to give him respect and lend an ear. The big question is will the Milwaukee market have enough to pull in talent or the requisite players to remain competitive? First thing is that he has to surround himself with very capable assistants. Sure Abdul-Jabbar isn't the "warm and fuzzies" type BUT not all players are Olowakandis either.

revgen · by **revgen** on Thu Mar 07, 2013 1:40 pm

Kareem's "oncourt" personality is very different than his off-court personality. I think he's more than capable of being a "communicator" when his juices are flowing.

Rooscooter · by **Rooscooter** on Thu Mar 07, 2013 7:16 pm

dj vitus wrote:How about we pay you big $$$ to teach Dwight how to perfect your skyhook.

Kareem doesn't have enough time left to teach Howard the skyhook..... :man10:

That shot is all about footwork, positioning and touch. Too many things Howard would have to learn fundamentally before he could even begin to learn the shot.

For the most part Howard is a finished product. He's great at a narrow range of things and not so great at a bunch of others. Averaging them he's still the best C in the game but he's not an all time great at that position.

Finwë · by **Finwë** on Fri Mar 08, 2013 12:07 pm

Frank Dux wrote:Kareem is a great basketball mind, but his personality doesn't strike me as the head coach type.

I considered that too. Maybe he'd be different when it became official, head coach of an NBA team, with real challenges ahead and a group to motivate. I think like Revgen said his competitive juices would start to flow and he'd find a way to take advantage of his basketball knowledge.
I would definitely grant him an interview if I were a GM, and I could totally see him coaching a team under the right circumstances.

Chillbongo · by **Chillbongo** on Fri Mar 08, 2013 12:12 pm

You bet, call me crazy, but I see him donning the Phil approach being very calm and collected, but extremely competitive.

He is such a competitor and has had success coaching as John noted above. He's learned from the best coaches, and has that Laker pedigree. He's highly intelligent too and has worked on being a more "public figure"

purp n gold · by **purp n gold** on Fri Mar 08, 2013 8:11 pm

432J wrote:
Frank Dux wrote:Kareem is a great basketball mind, but his personality doesn't strike me as the head coach type.

exactly why i believe he's never been a head coach

This, plus Kareem isn't the most liked guy around the league. He is an extremely smart dude, on and off the court. He's respected as such, but there are some who see him as smug or condescending.

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Willing to Coach the Bucks

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