Sixers' Stefanski looking forward to working with his mentor Thorn
A 55-loss season will surely bring about a plethora of changes for an NBA team. Case in point, this offseason for the 76ers. The head coach got axed the day after that 55th loss, a prodigal son was brought in as the new coach, a disgruntled veteran was traded, and yesterday an NBA lifer was brought in as president to help oversee those changes and provide thoughts of what more can be done to make this organization relevant again.
A 55-loss season will surely bring about a plethora of changes for an NBA team.
Case in point, this offseason for the 76ers. The head coach got axed the day after that 55th loss, a prodigal son was brought in as the new coach, a disgruntled veteran was traded, and yesterday an NBA lifer was brought in as president to help oversee those changes and provide thoughts of what more can be done to make this organization relevant again.
Players win games, as Rod Thorn said yesterday at his press conference at the Wells Fargo Center when introduced as the team's new president, but it seems the thinking of chairman Ed Snider is to bring in another mind-set to get the right players for new coach Doug Collins. Thorn was the president for the past 10 seasons with the New Jersey Nets before resigning last month.
"Rod is one of the most respected basketball minds in the game today," said Snider in a statement. "When we learned that he would not be re-signing with the Nets, we realized that this would be a terrific opportunity to bring one of the top executives in the NBA to the Sixers to work closely with Ed Stefanski."
Stefanski was the general manager under Thorn in New Jersey for six seasons, which included two runs to the NBA Finals. Stefanski, who has served as both general manager and president of the Sixers since December 2007, will retain the role of general manager.
Stefanski admitted to a small amount of surprise when he was told the team was looking to bring in Thorn, but greeted the news with open arms.
"Rod is my mentor in the NBA," Stefanski said. "He taught me a lot of things about the NBA. And besides that, we are close friends. I know Rod, he knows me. We work extremely well together. I think we were a hell of a team in New Jersey and I think the results showed that. There is no reason to say that we are not going to do the same thing here. We will work hard to get this back to where we were."
Thorn's departure from New Jersey wasn't perceived as amicable, though he said yesterday: "I think my instincts are pretty good, and my feeling was that my time had run its course there.
"The defining thread through all of this is that Philadelphia teams always had a passion and always played hard. The fans of Philadelphia are forgiving if you display that type of spirit. It's the type of spirit that Doug is about, and it's the type of spirit that this team will play with. It's not good enough to give a 75 percent effort. We expect and demand that our players play together, No. 1, and play hard every night. That is what the fans want and that is what the fans deserve. The fans don't owe you anything, you owe the fans. We as an organization will demand from our players, and get from our players, that effort on an every day basis."
For Collins, who took a red-eye from San Diego to make the press conference, it means a new boss who didn't hire him. But that is of no concern to either one of them.
"The first thing I said to Rod when we talked [Wednesday] was, 'You know Rod, you didn't hire me. How is this going to affect me?' And he said if you look at my track record, I've had the same coaches for a long, long time.
"These two guys [Thorn and Stefanski] have had so much success together. I feel good about where we are. I think it's going to be great. That's why I came back here today. The one thing I understand about this situation is I think it's important for me to be here today, to be here and to be supportive of our situation."
Thoughts that were echoed by Stefanski, though the hiring did strip him of a title.
"This is all great with me," Stefanski said. "It is very hard in this league to hold the title of president and general manager. I'm a basketball guy. I'm all in favor of Rod doing the business side of things and me dealing with the basketball side. I've been in the business part, and I much prefer the basketball side.
"The best part about Rod is that he listens, and I love listening to him. We've had many fun battles through the years. We bring out the best in each other."
The thought of bringing in Thorn, who was the 2001-02 NBA executive of the year and won four Atlantic Division titles in five seasons, was a no-brainer to Comcast-Spectacor president Peter Luukko and Snider. Thorn's 46-year resume includes 14 years as the league's executive vice president of basketball operations, GM of the Chicago Bulls, during which time they drafted a kid named Michael Jordan. He was a player (second overall pick in 1963) an assistant coach and a head coach. There isn't much the 69-year-old hasn't seen. Still, it doesn't diminish his excitement.
"I live in Westchester County, New York," Thorn said. "When I drove down here, about 7:15 [yesterday] morning, I got more excited the closer I got to Philadelphia. Just thinking about the good things that we can do together and thinking about the history of this franchise and thinking about where it has been and where we can take it, I look forward to working with all of you. And for me it starts today."
Six shots
Sixers forward Andre Iguodala posted game highs of 15 points and six rebounds and was named the player of the game in USA Blue's 49-47 win over USA White last night at Radio City Music Hall. The intrasquad game for the finalists for the U.S. roster for the World Championships was played on a stage at the famous venue as part of the World Basketball Festival. Iguodala shot 7-for-11 from the field and 1-for-3 from the arc. The U.S. team faces France on Sunday at Madison Square Garden.
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