Kings pick Theus as new coach

The Associated Press

Published Wednesday, June 20, 2007

Reggie Theus’ mercurial rise through the coaching ranks has propelled him all the way back to the Sacramento Kings.

The Kings reached an agreement in principle yesterday with Theus to become their new coach, ending a meandering two-month search for Eric Musselman’s replacement.

Kings spokesman Troy Hanson said the club plans to introduce Theus, the New Mexico State coach and a former Kings player who twice led the team in scoring, at a news conference today.

Yet Theus, a 13-year NBA veteran, has almost as much experience playing a coach as an actor on the Saturday-morning kids’ show "Hang Time" as in real life.

He transformed New Mexico State into an NCAA Tournament club in just two seasons but has never coached in the NBA - and didn’t even get serious about a coaching career until 2003 as an assistant to Rick Pitino at Louisville.

"People that know me know that I am not someone who gets speechless, but right now I am," Theus said last night. "When I got involved in the interview process, I really didn’t give it much thought. It was just a chance to experience an NBA interview, and I never thought about this really happening."

Musselman was fired April 20 after one season that began with his arrest on a drunken-driving charge. The former Golden State coach coaxed just 33 victories from a fractured locker room filled with grumpy veterans.