The Atlanta Hawks have decided to part ways with head coach Mike Woodson.
Woodson was hired by the Hawks in 2004 and gradually improved the team’s record each year during his tenure. After winning only 13 games during his first season, Woodson led the Hawks to 53 wins and a third place finish in the Eastern Conference in 2010. But after the Hawks barely defeated a depleted Milwaukee Bucks team in the first round and were blown away by the Magic in the second round, the team appeared to be unprepared mentally and lacked chemistry in the NBA playoffs. Here are several other black NBA coaches who could be hired or fired before the 2010-11 season. –a.r.
1) Avery Johnson-Hired
Avery Johnson led the Dallas Mavericks to the NBA Finals in 2005 and was known for his ability to motivate his players during crunch time. Since being fired by Mavericks owner Mark Cuban in 2008, Johnson has remained a heavily sought after head coach. He is currently mulling over offers from the New Orleans Hornets, New Jersey Nets and Philadelphia 76ers.
2) Mike Brown – Fired
Mike Brown is on the hot seat after failing to lead the Cleveland Cavaliers to the NBA Finals after earning the position as the top team in the Eastern Conference for two years straight. Although Brown’s offensive schemes are questionable, the Cavs general manager, Danny Ferry, has failed to sign a legitimate NBA All-Star to complement LeBron James.
3) Byron Scott – Hired
Byron Scott lead the New Jersey Nets to two NBA Finals and surprised the league when his young New Orleans Hornets team became championship contenders in 2008. Scott was fired by the Hornets after a lackluster season in 2009. Currently a sports analyst, Scott could give a mid-level team the confidence it needs to compete with the elite.
4) Patrick Ewing – Hired
After years of serving as an assistant to Jeff and Stan Van Gundy, Patrick Ewing should be prepared to take over as an NBA head coach. His tutoring of All-NBA centers Dwight Howard and Yao Ming is an impressive side note to his resume.
