Spurs hire Carlesimo as assistant

Johnny Ludden of the San Antonio Express-News reports that P.J. Carlesimo is back in the NBA. He was hired by the Spurs as an assistant to head coach Greg Popovich.

Carlesimo, 53, had been a broadcast analyst for the Spurs and NBC since he was fired as Golden State's head coach in the middle of the 1999-2000 season. The Spurs had planned to hire Carlesimo to replace Sean Elliott as the No. 1 analyst after Elliott signed with ESPN two weeks ago. That changed Friday when Popovich decided he wanted Carlesimo on his staff.

"Over the past couple of years, we've obviously gotten to know and like P.J.," Spurs general manager R.C. Buford said. "When we really started to do our homework on him some of the most respected people in the game also had nothing but good things to say about him."

As recently as a week ago, Popovich said he was leaning toward not filling the position after unsuccessfully trying to hire Penn coach Fran Dunphy and former Warriors forward Chris Mullin. Popovich also talked with former Bulls coach Tim Floyd about the job.

Carlesimo has 25 years of head-coaching experience, including three seasons with Portland (1994-97) and 21/2 with the Warriors. He also is known for a notorious 1997 incident in which former Golden State player Latrell Sprewell choked him following an argument at practice.

Via

San Antonio Spurs, Golden State Warriors

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