Nancy Lieberman to coach Frisco D-League team

Posted Wednesday, Nov. 04, 2009 Comments   (0) Print Share Share Reprints
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NEW ORLEANS — The Frisco team in the National Basketball Development League will hire Hall of Famer Nancy Lieberman as its first coach, and the news is not as surprising as you might think.

Far from it, say some of the people who know Lieberman well. In fact, the hiring of a woman to coach a men’s team has been too long in coming, they said.

"I think it’s awesome," Mavericks point guard Jason Kidd said. "She’s very knowledgeable about the game, for sure. You know, change can be a little weird at the beginning, but I think everybody will adjust fine."

Asked if he could someday see a female NBA head coach, Kidd said: "Someday, yeah. I think it’s just a matter of time."

Lieberman will be flanked by two other members of basketball’s royalty. Longtime NBA coach Del Harris will serve as the Frisco team’s general manager. Spud Webb, at 5-foot-4 one of the best sub-6-foot players in NBA history and one of the best to come out of Dallas, will be president of basketball operations.

But with Frisco owners Donnie Nelson and Evan Wyly tabbing Lieberman as coach, it’s a move certain to create lots of buzz.

Lieberman was a two-time Olympian and a renowned player, coach and general manager in the WNBA. She has done virtually everything in women’s basketball and has served as an ESPN reporter for NBA games.

"It’s a great hire," Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle said. "I’ve known Nancy for 15 years and consider her one of the greatest competitors our sport has ever seen. I think it’s a great opportunity for her and it’s a great opportunity for this franchise. And I know she’ll succeed."

Asked if it might be weird having a female coaching NBA-quality players, Carlisle said: "She’ll make it work."

Mavericks owner Mark Cuban used to play pick-up games with Lieberman and said he could see this as the start of something much bigger. On the subject of whether there could be a woman coaching an NBA team, he said: "Yeah, I could, actually. If someone turned out to be really, really good, like Nancy may turn out to be.

"She eats, sleeps and breathes basketball. She’s everything good about basketball. Donnie’s made a great step in picking her as a coach.

"The D-League is where you’re supposed to try new things and take chances, and create new opportunities for people. It’s also the way Donnie is, too."

— Eddie Sefko

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