Mark Daigneault was not the most qualified candidate, not the most obvious hire.
When general manager Sam Presti set out to find a coach for the Thunder's NBA Development League affiliate in 2014, Daigneault probably shouldn't have been at the top of the list.
“I was a risky hire,” said Daigneault, who got the job with the Blue anyway. “There were probably 100 to 200 people with way more experience, with way more of a well-rounded resume, that he could have hired for this job.”
Three years into his tenure, the Blue is the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference playoffs, which continue Saturday night when Oklahoma City hosts the Santa Cruz Warriors at Cox Convention Center.