Bickerstaff Interviews With Bulls

Former Bobcats' Coach Bernie Bickerstaff interviewed for an assistant coach position with Vinny Del Negro and the Chicago Bulls on Monday, the Chicago Tribune is reporting.

Bickerstaff follows interviews with former Head Coaches Bob Hill, Paul Westphal, and Del Harris that took place last week.

What about Scottie?....didn't he voice his desire to coach a while back?

What about Scottie?....didn't he voice his desire to coach a while back?

Vinny Del Negro and John Paxson have been interviewing candidate after candidate for the open assistant coaching positions and it appears that the Bulls have settled on three names so far: Bernie Bickerstaff, Del Harris, and now Bob Ociepka.


Former NBA head coaches Bickerstaff and Harris are already in negotiations with the Bulls. Negotiations with Bick have gone smoothly while there has been a minor hold-up in the discussions with former Lakers head coach (and Mavs assistant) Del Harris.

Ociepka has years of experience and is considered a sharp “X’s & O’s” assistant. Below is his bio:

Bob Ociepka begins his 17th season as an NBA assistant coach and his first season with the Timberwolves. He spent the three previous three seasons (2003-06) as an assistant coach with the Milwaukee Bucks.

Ociepka has also worked for seven other NBA franchises: Indiana Pacers (1989-93), Los Angeles Clippers (1993–96), Philadelphia 76ers (1996-97), Cleveland Cavaliers (1999-2001) and the Detroit Pistons (1998-99, 2001-03). He also served as the Orlando Magic’s advance scout during the 1997-98 campaign.

A native of Chicago, Ociepka played college basketball at Quincy (Ill.) College. He began his career in the NBA with Detroit in the 1980s as a part-time volunteer scout while coaching high school basketball. In the early ‘80s, Ociepka was one of the Chicago area’s most respected prep coaches at Gordon Tech and York High Schools. On May 4, 2000, his coaching efforts were recognized as he was inducted into the Chicago Catholic League Hall of Fame.

Ociepka has authored two books on the game of basketball. His first effort, “Basketball Playbook: Plays From the Pros,” which was published in 1995, gives an overview of NBA strategies. His second book, “Basketball Playbook 2: More Plays from the Pros,” was published in 2001.

Bulls to Add TWolves Assistant

im not sure i understand the story, did they already sign ociepka or are they just in talks? i would really like to have bickerstaff and/or harris.

Bulls have confirmed the hiring of Bickerstaff and Ociepka. One of the other assistants expected to be hired is either Del Harris or Paul Westphal. Bulls are still negotiating with Harris despite the minor hiccup but Its anyones guess as to whether he joins the ranks.

If he does, I wouldn't expect the Bulls to push for Westphal, but bringing on Harris gives the Bulls a tremendous group of assistants.

Bulls hire 2 assistant coaches
Team hires Bickerstaff, Ociepka as assistants

By K.C. Johnson | Tribune staff reporter
9:25 PM CDT, June 30, 2008

Bernie Bickerstaff and Bob Ociepka have agreed to terms to be assistant coaches on Vinny Del Negro's first staff, sources said.

Negotiations with Del Harris hit some snags but are ongoing, meaning neither side would be surprised if talks concluded successfully or broke off.

Bob Hill is no longer under consideration, sources said, and Paul Westphal's status is unclear. Hill, Westphal, Harris and Bickerstaff all are veteran head coaches who were sought to assist Del Negro's transition.

Bickerstaff is 414-512 in stints with Seattle, Denver, Washington and Charlotte. He last coached in 2006-07, going 33-49 with the Bobcats before moving into management.

Ociepka owns 18 seasons of assistant-coaching experience with eight franchises, including his most recent stint in Minnesota. The Chicago native played at downstate Quincy College and also coached Gordon Tech and York High Schools. He's a member of the Chicago Catholic League Hall of Fame.

Besides veteran coaches, the Bulls will hire younger, development-type assistant coaches. Mike Brown served in that capacity last season.

Monday's deadline passed with the Nuggets making no announcement on picking up the $972,581 qualifying offer of guard Yakhouba Diawara, which would make him an unrestricted free agent instead of restricted.

"I guess there's no tender," Diawara's agent, Buona Ndiaye said Monday night.

Diawara said he hadn't spoken to any Nuggets official for a month and had no idea whether the team still has interest in him.

Nuggets executive Mark Warkentien declined comment.

Diawara said his former Pepperdine coach, Paul Westphal, is close to becoming a Chicago assistant and he would have interest in signing there. Other teams expected to look at Diawara are Dallas, Miami and San Antonio.

Initial reports made it sound as if the talks with Paul Westphal had died, but it sounds like the Bulls are still taking about hiring him. My guess is it will be only one of Del Harris & Paul Westphal but as long as they get one of them I'd be thrilled. If they got two of them, we are talking about quite possibly the best set of assistants in the NBA. Harris has been a part of what I believe are two NBA titles, but Westphal is about as innovative of an offensive mind as it gets (former Pepperdine coach).

According to reports out of Dallas, Harris is expected to sign on with the Bullies today.

Del Harris is off to the Windy City
Del Harris is bidding farewell to the Mavericks after accepting a position on Vinny Del Negro’s new staff in Chicago. A former head coach with the Rockets, Bucks and Lakers, Harris came to Dallas to work with former coach Don Nelson back in 2000.

Harris also served on former coach Avery Johnson’s staff before spending last year as a team consultant. Harris owns more than 500 career wins in additional to an extensive international résumé.

According to reports out of Dallas, Harris is expected to sign on with the Bullies today.

are they keeping the big man coach?

I hope Del Negro has some cajones because he is going to have two expirienced guys in the background ready to step in if he falters.

im exited about the coaching staff, its going to help del negro alot and make the transition alot easier for him and the players. what are they doing with ron adams? i remember reading adams and meyers would still have a spot in the organization.