There’s a saying, “monkey see monkey do,” and the implied meaning is that when a person sees something working favorably for another, the natural inclination for said individual is to copy the act in the search for similar success. Which brings me to Pat Riley.
The Miami Heat president has made the executive position look so sexy that now it seems every tenured coach wants a piece of the action.
Flip Saunders was successful in getting similar position with the Minnesota Timberwolves, Phil Jackson has stated on more than a few occasions that that’s where his future lies, and now according to a report via Pro Basketball Talk via CSNPhilly.com, former Philadelphia 76ers head coach Larry Brown, has taken a similar stance after his former team tried to gauge his interest level in coaching.
The source wasn’t certain how serious the interest is, or if teams are just paying respect to the Hall of Famer. The source said Brown is happy with his head coaching position at SMU but would be interested in possibly running an NBA franchise, calling the Sixers a natural fit because of Brown’s Philly connections.
I can’t blame these older coaches for wanting to avoid the rigors of coaching in the NBA and for seeking a seemingly comfortable gig like Riley has, they paid their dues.