Sacramento, California – Mike Bibby and Shaquille O’Neal will mix it again, all these years later.
No more Sacramento Kings-Los Angeles Lakers rival or garbage talk on the court. Now, it is Bibby the coach of the university and the father of the athlete student.
The good thing is that they get along these days, because Shaq’s son, Shaqir, verbally pledged to play for Bibby in the new position of the former Kings star as a chief coach in the state of Sacramento.
“Shaq and I have a good relationship. It was probably not good when we were playing against each other,” Bibby said with a smile when he formally presented at school on Tuesday. “There was a lot of attempt to make a rivalry, try to do it big in the league.”
Do not be surprised if the children of more NBA players end up in the capital of California with one of the most beloved stars to go through the Sacramento franchise. Bibby’s phone has not stopped sounding since he was hired last week to take care of the program. You don’t even have time to take your daily naps.
Bibby, 46, is ready to take Hornets to the dispute at the Big Sky conference immediately after they ended 7-25 last season.
“What amazing is this, looks at our new chief coach,” said Athletics Director Mark Orr. “Today’s introduction of coach Bibby marks a successful change of events here in the state of Sacramento in the last two years. Our university is certainly increasing.”
Bibby retired in 2012 and has had several coaching works since then. He won five state titles and trained 25 players who received university scholarships in six seasons as a coach in Shadow Mountain High School in Phoenix. He has also been an assistant to the Puerto Rican National Team, the summer league teams for Cleveland and Memphis, and the NBA G-League Ignite.
“Mike is not just a basketball legend, it is a legend of Sacramento,” said the president of the state of Sacramento, Dr. Luke Wood. “The city hugged him during his NBA years and returns that love when choosing our program. Understand the spirit of this place, the sand, the helpless mentality, pride and determination and is ready to build something special here in the state of Sacrament. With coach Bibby to the ice cream we are raising the bar.”
Orr said he received consultations about the work of NBA level coaches in Down, “and continued to return to one of the best basketball minds that this city has seen. He loves this community and wants to be here.”
And Bibby wants to leave a lasting brand and build something special here. He knows that athletes will look for him as an example of someone who has been on top.
“I am not satisfied with just being here. I don’t want to disappoint the city and I’m going to do the most difficult not to do it,” Bibby said. “These children are trying to get where I have been and why not get it from someone who has been there before?”
Bibby won an NCAA championship as a player in Arizona in 1997 and then starred in the NBA for 14 seasons, with its most successful period for seven seasons with the Kings. He helped Sacramento reach game 7 of the finals of the West Conference of 2002 before losing to O’Neal and Los Angeles Lakers.
Bibby players can’t wait to get going.
“It’s a legend, and I think the city needs someone to reflect it culturally,” said the senior ej Neal guard. “It is an icon in Sacramento.”
Bibby is ready to teach: “Everything has to be necessary. We do it hard or do it again.” And plan to schedule the best opponents that are not conference: “They will overlook us.”
He has no doubt that Hornets will win immediately, adding that “I have plans to take this conference by assault.”
“Make a coach come here to teach us and try to push us and take responsibility so that we can improve and get to that position where I was, I think it’s the most important thing,” said Elero Senior Jalen Pitre.
Even with all that trust and booty, Bibby was clearly a bit emotional and surpassed by this moment of a complete circle.
“I am lost by words at this time, I am nervous as you can say,” said Bibby. “I’m ready, I’ve been ready for this for a long time.”
