Much like their general manager choice, the Nets went for substance over splash when they picked Kenny Atkinson as coach. New GM Sean Marks has talked repeatedly about player development, and his new 48-year-old hire is arguably the best in the NBA at just that.
“There is nobody better than Kenny at developing players,” ex-Houston and Minnesota coach Rick Adelman said, according to SportsTalkAtl. Atkinson had served as the Rockets’ director of player development in 2007-08 and left an indelible impression on his former boss.
Atkinson — a Huntington native and former Knick assistant noted for his ability to work with point guards — also had been an assistant in the playoffs under four different head coaches: Mike D’Antoni and Mike Woodson in the Garden and Larry Drew and Mike Budenholzer with the Hawks.