Former NBA head coach Mike D’Antoni is best well known for his “seven seconds or less” offense. When D’Antoni ran that system with the Phoenix Suns in the mid-2000s with point guard Steve Nash, they were one of that era’s most exciting and dangerous teams.
D’Antoni left the Suns for the New York Knicks, where he coached from 2008-12 before resigning. He then coached the Los Angeles Lakers for the 2012-13 and 2013-14 seasons, spent time as an assistant with the Philadelphia 76ers, then took over as the Houston Rockets’ head coach in 2016. There, D’Antoni played a big part in James Harden’s development as a scorer with this offensive system, aiding him to win the 2017-18 MVP award.
Since leaving Houston in 2020 after his contract wasn’t renewed, D’Antoni has spent time as an assistant with the Brooklyn Nets and as an advisor to the New Orleans Pelicans. Now, it appears that he may be on his way to leading his own NBA team yet again next season.
Reports emerged back in May that the Charlotte Hornets had some interest in D’Antoni as a potential candidate for their vacant head coaching position. And on Tuesday, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski detailed that D’Antoni is set to meet with Hornets owner Michael Jordan to discuss the team’s head coaching job.
Mike D’Antoni is set to meet with Charlotte Hornets owner Michael Jordan on the franchise’s coaching job today, sources tell ESPN. D’Antoni was the other Charlotte finalist before Kenny Atkinson changed his mind on accepting position and stayed in Golden State on Saturday.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 21, 2022
It would certainly be an interesting fit for D’Antoni in Charlotte, with many around the NBA world seeming to believe that he could be the missing piece to help young point guard LaMelo Ball’s development in his point guard-friendly system.
LaMelo next year https://t.co/uq4TdE6BBn pic.twitter.com/KGc1LGw0nB
— xochurch (@xochurch) June 21, 2022
If you’re not going to be a title contender, be visually stimulating.
I can imagine LaMelo Ball being a lot of fun in this guy’s system. https://t.co/XcBNPcu5kX
— Darin Gantt (@daringantt) June 21, 2022
Love it. Was my original first choice. https://t.co/Cavi2JktCc
— Hornetsszn (@Hornetsszn0) June 21, 2022
Hire Coach D'Antoni. He's an incredible basketball mind, but even more importantly, he's an incredible person/leader. https://t.co/wocjJoFOtR
— Mat Issa (@matissa15) June 21, 2022
the MDA/LaMelo fit would be so freaking fun, please make this happen @hornets https://t.co/DqMmnFdrby
— Eric (@nemchocke) June 21, 2022
LaMelo Ball has shown quite a bit of promise in his young career, making his first All-Star game last season while averaging 20.1 points per game with 7.6 assists and 6.7 rebounds.
On the surface, D’Antoni to Charlotte certainly seems like it would be a very fun fit. At the least, it would certainly grab the attention of NBA fans night in and night out.
[Adrian Wojnarowski on Twitter; photo from Kim Klement/USA Today Sports]
