Former Houston Rockets head coach Mike D Antoni scheduled to meet with Hornets owner Michael Jordan on Tuesday. Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

Hornets pivot to ex-Coach of the Year after losing Kenny Atkinson

Originally posted on Larry Brown Sports
By Steve DelVecchio | Last updated 6/21/22

The Charlotte Hornets had narrowed their search down to two candidates before they offered their head coaching job to Kenny Atkinson. Now that Atkinson has had a change of heart, they have turned their attention toward the other finalist.

Mike D’Antoni was scheduled to meet with Hornets owner Michael Jordan on Tuesday, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reports.

Mike D’Antoni is set to meet with Charlotte Hornets owner Michael Jordan on the franchise’s coaching job today, sources tell ESPN. D’Antoni was the other Charlotte finalist before Kenny Atkinson changed his mind on accepting position and stayed in Golden State on Saturday.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 21, 2022

Atkinson verbally agreed to a deal with the Hornets before changing his mind. The Golden State Warriors assistant reportedly had second thoughts after discussing the job with his family.

D’Antoni was once viewed as the front-runner for the Charlotte job. Some believe he could help turn LaMelo Ball into an elite point guard. D’Antoni is known in part for getting the most out of Steve Nash in Phoenix and James Harden in Houston. That is likely what makes him an appealing candidate to the Hornets.

One big knock on D’Antoni is that he is 71 and has never won an NBA title, though he has had a total of 10 playoff appearances and three conference finals berths. A former Hornets star may not be pleased if the Hornets hire D’Antoni.

This article first appeared on Larry Brown Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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