WNBA Laimbeer excited for opportunity in Vegas

NEW YORK — Bill Laimbeer found himself at a crossroad.

His contract with the New York Liberty was up and he wasn't sure if he wanted to stay or move on. He had spent the last few years grooming Katie Smith to be the team's next head coach and felt the time was right for her to take over the team, which lost in the second round of the playoffs for the second consecutive year.

The 60-year-old Laimbeer could stay with New York as the team's general manager or find employment elsewhere. His decision was made a bit easier when his phone rang a few weeks ago. An executive at MGM Resorts International asked him to be the coach and president of the new WNBA team that was moving from San Antonio to Las Vegas .

“I said I'd talk to my wife,” Laimbeer said. “At the end of the day, I like challenge and I think this would be a great experience.”

Laimbeer accepted the new position, which he will start Nov. 1.

“I'm looking at a huge task in front of me,” Laimbeer said. “First I have to build a staff from everything from video coordinator and interns to my assistants to basketball ops people. I've been making lists and lists and lists.”

His task is a little easier than other startup franchises because MGM has been in the entertainment business for years.

“I think it's new to them. They understand arenas, they understand all that goes into the logistics and selling tickets,” Laimbeer said. “The basketball part they are into, but it's not something they've really done before. I have the experience that I can navigate and explain what this is and how it works and what the opportunities are. I know all the infrastructure and the howto. My job is to set everything up.”