
San Antonio Spurs handler Gregg Popovich will coach the Western Conference squad in next month's 65th NBA All-Star Game, the league announced Wednesday, ending some suspense about the job.
The February 14 matchup of elite East and West lineups will be played in Toronto, the first time the game has been staged outside the United States.
Coaches with the best records in each conference on January 31 are picked to guide the East and West clubs, but no coach may have the job two years in a row.
But this season, it was interim coach Luke Walton who led the Golden State Warriors to a 39-4 record prior to the return last Friday of coach Steve Kerr after back surgeries.
There was talk Walton would get the nod as Golden State owns the NBA's best record at 41-4, but Kerr has returned and he is ineligible for the coaching honor because he guided last year's West All-Stars.
That means the Spurs, 38-7, are assured of the second-best record in the NBA come Sunday and so Popovich, a five-time NBA champion, will guide the West All-Stars for the fourth time in his career.
Popovich, 66, coached the West in the 2005, 2011 and 2013 NBA All-Star Games, winning the two most recent appearances. Popovich has been named to take over the USA Basketball national team program after Mike Krzyzewski following this year's Rio de Janeiro Olympics.
Source: AFP
GMT 18:30 2017 Tuesday ,26 December
FIFA trial: New York jury acquits former Peru soccer bossGMT 13:18 2017 Tuesday ,26 December
Early drama as Sydney to Hobart fleet race to break recordGMT 20:25 2017 Monday ,25 December
Klopp urges Liverpool to focus on Euro ambitionsGMT 18:35 2017 Monday ,25 December
Mutko suspends Russian football role to fight Olympic lifetime banGMT 10:11 2017 Monday ,25 December
Federer, Nadal shine as rivals hobble into 2018GMT 19:22 2017 Sunday ,24 December
Southampton's Austin charged with violent conductGMT 18:02 2017 Sunday ,24 December
'Tongan Bear' Uhila extends Clermont contractGMT 17:07 2017 Sunday ,24 December
Serena Williams to make competitive return in Abu Dhabi next week
Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2025 ©
Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2025 ©
Send your comments
Your comment as a visitor