Sacramento Kings on Wednesday reached an agreement in principle with Paul Westphal to become the team’s head coach, according to Kings President of Basketball Operations Geoff Petrie. “We are really excited to announce that we have reached an agreement in principle with Paul Westphal to become the Kings Head Coach,” said Petrie in a statement published on the NBA team's website. “We set some parameters at the start of this coaching search to look for a successful, experienced leader and Paul certainly meets those qualifications. He has a wealth of experience in the NBA as both a coach and player having won 63 percent (267-159) of his career games as a coach with winning records in both Phoenix and Seattle. He has been to the Finals three times, twice as a player and once as head coach of the Suns. He was very impressive during the interview process and in the subsequent conversations we have had since the interview. Paul also was greatly supported over the past few weeks by many of his former players and staff and others around the NBA game.”
Westphal brings 25 years of coaching experience at both the professional and collegiate levels to the Kings’ bench. He spent last season (2008-09) as the executive vice president of basketball operations for the Dallas Mavericks after spending the previous campaign as an assistant coach for the Mavericks (2007-08).
Westphal’s NBA coaching experience started some five years after his career as a player in the league ended. In 1988, after coaching for one season at Phoenix’s Southwestern Baptist Bible College and two seasons at Grand Canyon College, Westphal joined the Suns’ bench as an assistant coach. Four years later, in 1992, the California native became the franchise’s head coach. As head coach, he led the Suns to three of their most successful seasons. In 1992-93, the Suns clinched the Pacific Division title, won a franchise-record 62 games and made their second appearance in the NBA Finals. In 1995, Westphal became the second-fastest coach to reach 150 wins, accomplishing the feat in just 208 games and just five shy of the mark set by Phil Jackson. The Suns surpassed the 55-win mark in each of Westphal’s three seasons.
Westphal remained in Phoenix as the assistant coach to Terry Kearney at Chaparral High School to see his son, Michael, to graduation. He returned to the NBA coaching ranks in the lockout-shortened 1998-99 season, leading the Sonics to a 25-25 record. The following season, Seattle posted a 45-37 record and made the playoffs, losing 4-1 to the Utah Jazz in a first round series.
Overall, Westphal’s NBA head coaching record stands at 267-159, and his .627 winning percentage ranks among the league’s best.
Westphal began his NBA career when he was a first round (10th overall pick) draft choice of the Boston Celtics in the 1972 NBA Draft after graduating from USC. His career spanned 12 seasons, which included stints with Boston, Phoenix, New York and Seattle. He earned a 1974 championship ring with the Celtics and played for Phoenix in the 1976 NBA Finals.
Westphal scored 9,564 points as a member of the Suns and his No. 44 jersey was retired by the franchise on April 15, 1989.
