So I think we can all agree that the hiring of Billy Donovan was a correct one. Even though the Oklahoma City Thunder crashed and burned on a historical level I think we should count Billy Donovan’s first season as an NBA head coach a successful one.
Someone who should get credit for the Thunder’s successful season is Monty Williams. He did his job as assistant coach even though he was dealing with emotional heartache. He saw the season out before he stepped down and that is amazingly commendable.
As for his replacement, we have word as to who it is. Former Magic assistant coach Adrian Griffin.
Griffin served as an assistant coach on Scott Skiles’ staff in Orlando last season and was strongly considered by the Magic as a successor to Skiles before they hired former Indiana Pacers coach Frank Vogel.
The defensive-minded Griffin, who counts Skiles and Minnesota Timberwolves coach Tom Thibodeau among his strongest coaching influences, also has a brief history with the Thunder organization after playing alongside then-rookie Kevin Durant for the last two months of the club’s final season in Seattle in 2007-08. Griffin played for five teams in a nine-year NBA career.
I think it’s good that they got somebody that has been considered for a head coaching job, it means that they have good experience and knows what to do. The connection to the Thunder organisation is a great plus as well. Smart hire.
