According to the Philadelphia Inquirer, the 76ers have received permission to interview current Houston Rockets assistant coach Kelvin Sampson. Many people remember Sampson as the head coach who was fired from the University of Indiana for committing multiple recruiting violations during his time there. However, since the uncovering of the scandal, Sampson has taken his talents to the NBA. He has been an assistant coach for the Rockets for the past two seasons, and before that he spent three seasons as an assistant coach for the Milwaukee Bucks.
Sampson has been a key component in the development of the younger players on the Rockets' roster such as Patrick Beverley and Chandler Parsons. This stands out to me as a necessary trait for the next Sixers head coach to have. The Sixers need a coach who can continue to progress Jrue Holiday's game while also keeping Evan Turner from falling into bust-status. They need a coach who can mold Thad Young's game into consistent and efficient production night in and night out. If the Sixers choose Sampson, he would definitely be an asset in that regard. '
Another trait of Sampson's that the Sixers can use is his physical style of play that stresses rebounding and hustle. Ever since he began coaching over 30 years ago, Sampson has always stressed that he believes being physical and tough are attributes that are just as important to the game as shooting and dribbling. The Sixers could use some physical, tough play for their own good. In order to even have a chance against any of the elite teams in the NBA, you have to be physical. Look at how the Chicage Bulls played the Miami Heat in this year's playoff series. The Bulls came out playing physical, and Miami struggled. The Grizzlies have been arguably the most physical team in the playoffs this year and find themselves four victories away from representing the West in this years Finals. My point is, if Sampson can get the Sixers playing a physical brand of basketball, then they will be that much closer to rising out of the doldrums that is mediocracy in the NBA.
The Bucks and the Bobcats have both already interviewed Sampson for their head coaching vacancies, and he appears to be a popular name that is on many teams' radar. So if the Sixers like what they see in Sampson, they would be smart to act quickly. One advantage the Sixers do have over other teams in regard to Sampson is that new 76ers GM Sam Hinkie has worked with Sampson for the past few years in Houston. The seriousness of the Sixers' interest in Sampson is yet to be determined, but I'm sure Hinkie will do his due diligence with this decision, as he has promised.
NOTE: The Inquirer also noted that Jazz assistant coach Jeff Hornacek is "another name that Hinkie is probably going to look at a little longer."
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