Aug 10, 2007 - 04:04:07 CDT
Apparently Roy Rogers made a good impression when then Dakota Wizards interviewed him for their head coaching position.Although the Wizards went with Duane Ticknor for that spot, on Thursday they hired Rogers to be their associate head coach.
"It's perfect because we got our top two choices," Wizards general manager Tom Waggener said.
Rogers' title indicates that he'll have more responsibility than a typical assistant, although Waggener said the details have yet to be worked out.
Rogers, who turns 34 this month, was a star power forward for the University of Alabama. Rogers was drafted by the Vancouver Grizzlies with the 32nd pick of the 1996 NBA draft.
Although Rogers did set a team record with 163 blocked shots his rookie season, Rogers bounced around the NBA. In three years he played for four teams _ the Grizzlies, Celtics, Raptors and Nuggets. He averaged 4.8 points and 3.5 rebounds per game during his career. Eventually he went overseas, playing four seasons before retiring in 2004.
Rogers wasted no time moving into the next phase of his career. He hooked up with the D-League's Huntsville Flight as an assistant for one year, then joined the Tulsa 66ers' staff for the past two seasons. Rogers also served as head coach of the USBL's Oklahoma Storm this season, guiding the team to a 12-18 mark.
Waggener worked with Rogers at both D-League stops and was impressed with what he saw.
"He's a good communicator," Waggener said. "He's been in the NBA, and he's been overseas, so he can relate to what they're going through. He's also really good at working with big men."
3 NOTES: Former Wizard Awvee Storey, who was suspended by the D-League after a fight in practice left Martynas Andriuskevicius with a fractured skull, signed with the Milwaukee Bucks this week. Storey punched Andriuskevicius, who was on assignment from the Chicago Bulls, and the 7-2 center was severely injured when his head hit the floor. Andriuskevicius has returned and played for the Bulls' summer league team, according to teh Chicago Sun-Times.
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