Walton a coach rising quickly
After a season as an assistant, he’s Warriors’ interim.
Luke Walton didn’t have to interview with Steve Kerr this summer to become the Golden State Warriors’ lead assistant coach and run the top-scoring offense in the NBA.
“Steve just called and said he wanted to promote me, so obviously he showed a lot of the confidence that he had in me,” Walton said.
Kerr called Walton again early Thursday morning with news of another shift in the coaching staff. Kerr had decided to take a leave of absence to focus on rehabilitation after two offseason back surgeries.
With that, the 35-yearold Walton became interim head coach of the defending NBA champions.
At this time a year ago, Walton had yet to coach a single NBA game.
“Isn’t that how it’s supposed to happen?” Walton said, smiling. “Retire, win a championship, lead assistant and then interim head coach.”
Walton is just two years removed from a 10-year NBA playing career highlighted by helping the Los Angeles Lakers win backto-back championships.
Warriors general manager Bob Myers and forward Draymond Green volunteered recently in separate interviews that Walton possesses “a brilliant basketball mind.”
Walton, the son of Hall of Famer Bill Walton, had plenty of positive influences growing up in the game. His father would write John Wooden quotes on his lunch bags. He starred at Arizona for Hall of Fame coach Lute Olson. Phil Jackson, who taught the triangle offense, was the coach for seven of the seasons that the 6-foot-8 Walton played for the Lakers.
“Luke is one of these people who was born with an innate understanding of the game of basketball, and he’s respected,” Myers said.
Hornets: Forward Michael Kidd-Gilchrist is expected to miss an extended period of time after an MRI revealed he has a torn labrum in his right shoulder.
Kidd-Gilchrist was hurt in Saturday’s preseason game at Orlando in the second quarter when he landed on the floor.
The team did not say if he needed surgery or how long he will be out.
Former Sun, Gator star Neal Walk dies: Neal Walk, a tough center on the early Phoenix Suns teams who became an inspirational speaker after losing the use of his legs, died at age 67, the team announced.
Phoenix drafted the 6-foot-10 Walk out of the University of Florida as the No. 2 pick overall in 1969. Walk averaged 12.6 points and 7.7 rebounds in his eight-year NBA career. In five seasons with the Suns, he averaged 14.7 points and 8.9 rebounds. He also played for the New Orleans Jazz and New York Knicks.
Walk lost the use of his legs in a surgery to remove a tumor from his spine in 1987.