Lakers Focusing On A Top NBA Coaching Candidate

Not many NBA fans are thinking about the Los Angeles Lakers right now.

No one can be blamed for temporarily forgetting about this storied team – after all, they were such a non-factor this season that it was like they didn’t even play at all.

But LA is currently looking to repair things, right the wrongs, and get itself back on track.

A huge part of that will be finding a new head coach because Frank Vogel was fired just seconds after the season ended last month.

There have been many names tossed around as a possible replacement for Vogel – and now you can add another one to the list.

ESPN Sources: The Los Angeles Lakers have received permission to interview Golden State Warriors assistant Kenny Atkinson for the franchise’s head coaching job. Atkinson has already interviewed for the Charlotte Hornets’ job.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) May 12, 2022

Adrian Wojnarowski reports that the Lakers have received permission to interview Golden State Warriors assistant coach Kenny Atkinson.

The Lakers aren’t the only team sizing up Atkinson – he was recently interviewed by the Charlotte Hornets.

But does anything in his past suggest he’d be the right fit for the Lakers?

Is Atkinson The Man?

Atkinson has lived and breathed basketball all his life.

Earlier in his life, he played professionally all over the world, including in Italy, France, Germany, Spain, and more.

After his international career, the American pro came back home and started coaching.

First, he was an assistant coach under Mike D’Antonio for the New York Knicks.

Then he joined the Atlanta Hawks, before taking his first head coaching position with the Brooklyn Nets.

His time with the Nets was filled with ups and downs and Brooklyn never really impressed during Atkinson’s tenure.

All in all, his record with Brooklyn was 118-190.

While that doesn’t seem great, he has since been an assistant coach under Ty Lue and Steve Kerr.

Theirs are definitely the sort of coaching styles that LA wants so there is a chance that the Lakers think that Atkinson has learned enough from those two men and is ready to step up to the big job again.