Warriors assistant Kenny Atkinson to interview for Rockets head coach
job: reports
After nearly leaving the Warriors to become the Charlotte Hornets' head
coach last summer, Kenny Atkinson will reportedly interview with the
Houston Rockets.

>BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS – JUNE 16: Assistant coach Kenny Atkinson of the
Golden State Warriors reacts against the Boston Celtics during the first
quarter in Game Six of the 2022 NBA Finals at TD Garden on June 16, 2022
in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and
agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, User is
consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License
Agreement. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
By ALEX SIMON | asimon@bayareanewsgroup.com | Bay Area News Group
PUBLISHED: April 11, 2023 at 1:24 p.m. | UPDATED: April 11, 2023 at 2:30
p.m.
https://www.eastbaytimes.com/2023/04/11/warriors-assistant-kenny-atkinson-to-interview-for-rockets-head-coach-job-reports/

Warriors assistant coach Kenny Atkinson is a head coaching candidate —
again.

Golden State granted the Houston Rockets permission to interview
Atkinson for their vacant head coach position, according to multiple
reports.

Atkinson seemed set to leave the Warriors after last season to take the
head coach gig with the Charlotte Hornets. But ultimately, after the
Warriors won the 2022 NBA title, he decided not to leave San Francisco
and the Dubs.

Last summer, Warriors head coach Steve Kerr said he needed Atkinson as a
conduit between Golden State’s growing analytics department and Kerr
himself.

“He’s very analytically driven, and I think the particular with
analytics is how you apply it to the court, and you have to sort of
figure out how to process information and how it can translate to
winning basketball games,” Kerr said before the 2022 NBA Draft.

“It’s not an easy thing to do. There’s so many numbers, and Kenny is one
of the rare coaches who really has a great feel for the numbers and how
those numbers translate.”

Before becoming a Warriors assistant, Atkinson coached the Nets in 2019
to their first playoff berth since 2015 and stepped down midseason after
Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving joined the organization.

ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski and The Athletic’s Shams Charania both
reported about Atkinson’s interview to come with Houston. The Rockets
will also interview Phoenix assistant Kevin Young, Toronto assistant
Adrian Griffin and former head coaches James Borrego, Frank Vogel and
Ime Udoka.

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Once the Warriors’ top foe out West, Houston has fallen into a rebuild
mode after trading away James Harden in the fall of 2020. This season,
the Rockets finished 22-60, tied for the second-worst record in the NBA
with San Antonio (only Detroit’s 17-65 was worse) and decided not to
pick up head coach Stephen Silas’ fourth-year option.

They have built a young core through the draft, starring guard Jalen
Green (2021’s second overall pick), center Alperen Sengun (taken 16th
overall in 2021) and forward Jabari Smith Jr. (2022’s third overall
selection). Houston will undoubtedly be hoping the NBA Draft Lottery
falls their way to be able to add French sensation Victor Wenbanyama to
their core, too.

All of that could be enticing for a prospective coach like Atkinson, who
has been heavily involved in the development of Warriors’ forward
Jonathan Kuminga.

Atkinson and the Warriors will face former Golden State assistant Mike
Brown and the Sacramento Kings in the first round of the NBA playoffs,
with Game 1 coming up this Saturday at 5:30 p.m. PT in Sacramento.

--
Alex Simon | Sports Digital Strategist/Editor
Alex Simon is a sports digital strategist and editor for Bay Area News
Group. He’s been in journalism for years as an editor, reporter and
adjunct professor. Alex is a 2017 graduate of Elon University with a BA
in journalism and a 2019 graduate of Arizona State University with a MA
in journalism. He enjoys weekend adventures and loves In-N-Out Burger a
bit too much.Alex Simon is a sports digital strategist and editor for
Bay Area News Group. He’s been in journalism for years as an editor,
reporter and adjunct professor. Alex is a 2017 graduate of Elon
University with a BA in journalism and a 2019 graduate of Arizona State
University with a MA in journalism. He enjoys weekend adventures and
loves In-N-Out Burger a bit too much.