HoopsHype.com Rumors

Holly MacKenzie: Eric Musselman is kneeling as he coaches because of that torn achilles' tendon. That is intense, insane and awesome. Twitter

Coaching, Eric Musselman, Venezuela 

The D-Fenders are back and again under Buss family rule, and their new coach is actually a pretty interesting one: Eric Musselman. It’s not hard to imagine Musselman, who went 75-89 in two years as Golden State Warriors head coach, eventually re-establishing himself as a quality NBA coach. “He has vast experiences in both the NBA and NBA Development League and will be a great addition to our franchise,” said Joey Buss, D-Fenders president. Orange County Register

Coaching, Eric Musselman, D-League 

Eric Musselman has been hired by the Los Angeles Lakers to be head coach of the team's D-League affiliate Los Angeles D-Fenders, the team announced on Thursday. Musselman coached the NBA Development League's Reno Bighorns this past season after a brief layoff in his coaching career. Ridiculous Upside

Coaching, Eric Musselman, D-League 

Brad Turner: The LA D-Fenders of the NBA D-League have hired Eric Musselman as head coach, it was announced today by team President Joey Buss. Twitter

Coaching, Eric Musselman, D-League 

Sam Amico: Ex-NBA coach Eric Musselman opts against surgery on torn Achilles as docs told him it would mean no flying due to blood-clot risks. Twitter

Coaching, Eric Musselman, Venezuela 

Sam Amico: Musselman was already planning to coach Venezuelan national team, so he's just gonna put foot in cast. That's what I call Love Of The Game. Twitter

Coaching, Eric Musselman, Venezuela 

When Venezuela made Eric Musselman their national team coach last month, they opted for a man who has lived and breathed basketball for his entire life. Musselman ate, drank and slept basketball because of his father, former NBA boss Bill Musselman. "When most kids were watching cartoons when they woke up in the morning, at my breakfast table I was watching a game-tape with Dad," Musselman said to FIBA.com. "When I was done with school, my mom used to drop me off at Dad's practices and I used to sit there and watch until they were done. FIBA.com

Coaching, Eric Musselman, Venezuela 

"Then my dad and I would go into his office and watch film and sometimes, we wouldn't come home until 10 or 11 o'clock at night. "Then I would go to bed, get up the next morning and go to school and do the same thing. "I feel lucky to have had a dad who had such a great work ethic and cared about the coaching profession so much." FIBA.com

Coaching, Eric Musselman, Venezuela 

American coach Eric Musselman on Wednesday was unveiled as the new head coach of Venezuela's men's national team that will look to qualify for the London Olympics at this summer's FIBA Americas Championship. Musselman, a former NBA head coach with the Sacramento Kings and Golden State Warriors, takes over the position previously held by Nestor Salazar and will lead the team at the FIBA Americas Championship to be played in Mar del Plata, Argentina, between 30 August and 11 September. "I will work hard to achieve the objectives set out for Mar del Plata," said the 46-year-old of the Venezuelan Basketball Federation's (FVB) hopes to qualify for the 2012 Games or the Olympic Qualifying Tournament. "I will count on a talented selection, a group of energetic players that will work effectively." FIBA.com

Coaching, Eric Musselman, Venezuela 

Marc J. Spears: Eric Musselman slated to be named head basketball coach of the Venezuelan national team tomorrow. Twitter

Coaching, Eric Musselman, Venezuela 

Sam Amico: NY Daily News reports ex-Warriors coach Eric Musselman a candidate to join Mark Jackson's staff with ... yes, Warriors. Twitter

Golden State Warriors, Coaching, Mark Jackson, Eric Musselman 

Eric Musselman is one of the candidates to coach Puerto Rico. El Nuevo Dia

Coaching, Puerto Rico, Eric Musselman 

Former Sacramento Kings Eric Musselman led the DR to a 6-1 record last summer and had a verbal commitment to coach the team this year. But he was fired and bypassed for Calipari, the source said. “They sign agreements, don’t live up to them and don’t do good business,” the source said. ZagsBlog.com

Coaching, Eric Musselman, John Calipari, Dominican Republic 

I know many of you think the NBA's Development League is a bit wonky in the way it operates, but the fun thing is that there are always neat little surprises around every corner that always keeps the millions (and millions) of D-League fans on their collective toes. Take, for instance, the complicated system former NBA head coach Eric Musselman used to select his Reno Bighorns' first round opponent in this week's D-League playoffs (via the Erie Times-News' Duane Rankin). To decide its first-round opponent for the D-League playoffs, Reno had its player personnel assistant pick one out of a hat. Sammy Glefand chose the Erie BayHawks. "He's our money-ball guy," first-year Reno coach Eric Musselman said with enthusiasm. Ridiculous Upside

Eric Musselman, D-League 

In 2006, he replaced Rick Adelman in Sacramento. The Kings had made a few runs in the playoffs and in 2002 reached the Western Conference finals. "Sacramento was a tough situation," said Musselman, who didn't help himself when he was arrested for DUI after the Kings' first preseason game on Oct. 20. "Rick Adelman had done such a good job. ... There were a lot of changes in players. When I got to Sacramento, they were still trying to win but also trying to rebuild. We were kind of in between." Reno Gazette-Journal

Golden State Warriors, Sacramento Kings, Coaching, Eric Musselman, D-League 

And all on a yeoman's salary. The Bighorns don't release such figures, but it's unlikely he makes more than $100,000 a year, a far cry from his days of about $2.5 million when he was in the NBA. "I'm not doing this for the money," he said. "I'm doing it because I love the game." Moser, the Bighorns associate head coach, believes Musselman will get a job in the NBA or at an elite college program. Musselman said he's not closing the door on any opportunity, and said in regards to college that it has to be the right situation. "I think he's got a real shot," Moser said. "It's such a volatile business. Reno Gazette-Journal

Golden State Warriors, Sacramento Kings, Coaching, Eric Musselman, D-League 

Twenty or so candidates, many with NBA connections, have been floated to FGCU Athletic Director Ken Kavanagh for the head men's basketball position. Through a public records request, Eagle News has learned of a wide-ranging group of candidates who have expressed interest in replacing Dave Balza. The list includes former NBA coach Eric Musselman, former NBA standouts and Division I coaches Kyle Macy and Jan van Breda Kolff, and former Iowa and Butler coach Todd Lickliter. Eagle News

Coaching, Eric Musselman 

He credits former Golden State Eric Musselman with giving him his first real chance in 2002-03. "He was the first coach to say, 'OK, I don't care about the height, I don't care about the size. I'm going to give you the ball and you're going to prove whether you can play,'" Boykins said. "He not only gave me the ball, but he gave me the ball in the fourth quarter. That's what separated me from other players -- not only can he play during the game, but in crunch time he not only can play but he can win games. That's where my career changed." Cleveland Plain Dealer

Milwaukee Bucks, Eric Musselman, Earl Boykins 

Westphal said that had been discussed but no decision had been made to send Whiteside to the D-League. The Bighorns are coached by former Kings and Warriors coach Eric Musselman. Sacramento Bee

Sacramento Kings, Hassan Whiteside, Eric Musselman, D-League 

Musselman has always been around coaching. His father, Bill, was a coaching legend in the Continental Basketball Association (CBA) as he led the Tampa Bay Thrillers to four championships, and earned himself a Coach of the Year award in 1988. “Since the 7th grade, I always knew I wanted to be a professional basketball coach,” Musselman proclaimed. “I idolized my dad, and felt that being a head coach at a young age at a minor league level was better preparation than being an assistant at the collegiate or NBA level.” Bleacher Report

Eric Musselman