Kenny Atkinson Introduced as Nets Head Coach at HSS Training Center
Kenny Atkinson is hoping to make a name for himself with the Brooklyn Nets as their new head coach. Not only figuratively but literally trying to make his own mark in a homecoming of sorts.
He’s been linked to the Gregg Popovich tree of coaches when he directly worked with Mike Budenholzer as an assistant coach on the Atlanta Hawks. He was also hired by Nets general manger, former San Antonio Spurs front office member, Sean Marks and he’s added former Spurs disciple and Orlando Magic head coach Jacque Vaughn to his coaching staff. He’s also had ties to the likes of Rick Adelman and Mike D’Antoni throughout his time in the NBA but despite all the relationships, he wants to make his own name with the team and Marks also hopes they can partner up and do the same together.
“We’re happy to have great mentors in our lives, obviously we’ll look back at the Spurs as one of them…But this isn’t San Antonio. This isn’t Atlanta. This is Brooklyn and we’re going to make it our own,” Marks said, before adding, “It was an extensive (coaching) search. I sat with at least half a dozen (candidates), and out of those guys, it was pretty clear that Kenny was my No. 1 choice.”
“It’s not often you get your number one guy,” Marks said at Monday’s press conference at HSS Training Center. “It’s a fit. We’ve had a longer relationship and we’ve known each other for a few years here. I’ve always admired the way he works and I’ve watched him from afar developing players on the court and for me it was always about the way he was able to communicate with those guys is so important.”
That’s the main thing he’s known for, player development. Kenny Atkinson, the sixth Nets’ coach since they moved to Brooklyn in 2012, knows that’s his strength and both he and Marks look to use that to their advantage.
“I felt like Sean was someone I can build a partnership with, someone I can collaborate with, someone I can trust,” said Atkinson, a 48-year-old Long Island native. “I said this is a guy I’d love to work with on a daily basis, be in the trenches with. That really excited me and made me aggressive in pursuing this job. This is a guy I’d love to work with on a daily basis with, be in the trenches with, so I’m excited to go forward with Sean and build a strong Brooklyn Nets team, a sustainable club that’s going to be patient, but looking to improve over the long term.”
Their relationship goes back about five years, when Atkinson was still sort of new with the Atlanta Hawks and he came to San Antonio to study the Spurs’ way. Atkinson’s abilities back then caught Marks’ eye and the two had similar strategies and attitudes when it came to building a team, as well as a shared background in international basketball.
“There’s a unified vision,” Kenny Atkinson told the media after the press conference. “it’s not going to be management or coaches or management or players. We’re going to be together. He (Marks) was out on the floor today. watching them work out. For the GM to come out, it’s important for the players to see that.unified front that we’re really trying to build it.”
“Build. Build patiently, intelligently, and from my standpoint, the message that these guys are gonna be hearing is that we’re gonna put a competitive group first and foremost on the floor,” Atkinson said promising that “Brooklyn fans if they watch a game, they’re looking and saying ‘Man, that’s a competitive group. That group competes.'”
Kenny Atkinson’s journey to Brooklyn was long and intricate. He was all around the globe but his roots were always in New York. Atkinson grew up one of eight brothers in the Northport, Long Island area and he attended St. Anthony’s High School in South Huntington in the 1980’s. His former coach there, Gus Alfieri, was among the South Huntington Friars contingent in attendance on Monday. Atkinson played collegiately at Richmond, where he led the Spiders to a Sweet 16 appearance in the NCAA Tournament in 1988. He played professionally for 14 seasons all around the world, mostly in Europe, including stops in France, Italy, Germany, Spain and he’s even coached the Dominican national team starred by 2016 Rookie of the Year Karl-Anthony Towns.
But It was Atkinson’s return home that makes all of his work come full circle. He had to pause to regain his composure in his opening remarks as he talked about his connection to the area and the people who helped him get back here including a large amount of family at his introductory press conference.
“This press conference was like, wow, and I think that’s why I got a little emotional,” Atkinson said. “Just seeing all the familiar faces and family, that was like, wow.”
While Atkinson made jokes about his family showing up Monday “for the free food” and the local references about his mom taking the Long Island Railroad to the game, the new coach understands and appreciates the tasks ahead of him.
“It’s part of the job,” he said. “It’s New York and I get that and I accept it and I embrace it. I embrace the pressure and I know that comes with the territory, especially here.”
‘Here’ is home for Kenny Atkinson and he understands, appreciates and knows the task at hand. He’s going to fully encapsulate himself in the Brooklyn lifestyle, including living in the borough.
“I’m going to live in Brooklyn. I’m not going to tell you exactly where, but it’s a wonderful neighborhood,” Atkinson said. “But as I told Mr. Prokhorov, if I’m going to coach Brooklyn, I’m going to live in Brooklyn. New York is basketball. I was thinking the other day Brooklyn is basketball…When I grew up, it was Pearl Washington, Chris Mullin. Brooklyn really spoke to me.”
