Bob Ociepka to take on the position of assistant coach with the Los Angeles Clippers – NBA Update
The Los Angeles Clippers have been a team looking to make quite a few changes around the organization during the summer. On Friday, the Clippers management made the announcement that they have hired Bob Ociepka to be the assistant
coach for the coming 2012-13 season.
Ociepka, a long time NBA coach, is expected to be second in charge behind Vinny Del Negro, who despite being young has been decent at the head coaching position. By bringing in Ociepka on to the sidelines, the Clippers have added
22 years of coaching in the NBA to their arsenal.
Ociepka will be replacing Dean Demopoulos who was fired recently and would be returning to the Clippers for his second time in charge. He was also the assistant coach of the team from 1993 to 1996 when Bob Weiss and Bill Fitch
covered the head coaching positions.
The 63 year old is expected to fit right into Del Negro’s team as both have prior experience of working together from their time with the Chicago Bulls. His arrival at Los Angeles is also understood to be because of Del Negro’s
lobbying.
Ociepka has experience of working with nine different teams in the NBA and most recently served as an assistant coach to Nate McMillan and Kaleb Canales with the Portland Trail Blazers.
The veteran coach began his career working as a part time volunteer for the Detroit Pistons while also taking on the role of scouting for various teams. He also worked as an advance scout for the Orlando Magic in the 1997-98 season
and has not stopped working ever since.
In the 22 years of coaching in the NBA, Ociepka has the experience of working with the Minnesota Timberwolves, Milwaukee Bucks, Detroit Pistons, Cleveland Cavaliers, Philadelphia 76ers and the Indiana Pacers.
Outside the world of NBA, Ociepka is the author of two books, “Basketball Playbook: Plays from the Pros” which was published back in 1995 and his latest publication was in 2001 of “Basketball Playbook 2: More Plays from the Pros”.
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