Golden State Warriors’ former assistant coach Rob Werdann joins Charlotte Bobcats – NBA Update
After injecting some fresh talent, the Charlotte Bobcats have recently added an assistant coach to their squad. Former assistant of the Golden State Warriors Rob Werdann has been given the opportunity to guide the Bobcats in absence
of their associate coach Charles Oakley.
After scoring the job a delighted Werdann said, "I was told they were going to add a coach and I jumped at the chance."
The Bobcats took the decision as they are still not sure whether Oakley will be back for next season due to lingering health issues. Oakley was assaulted at a Los Vegas resort back in May last year and he has been having a severe
back problem ever since. Because of his back hitch, Oakley missed last 13 games of the Bobcats in 2010-11 season and according to reports, he is considering a surgery.
Bobcats head coach Paul Silas confirmed that the hiring was only due Oakley’s uncertain future, "If he was here now, we probably wouldn't have been looking at anyone else. But since he's going to have an operation soon and that
kind of thing, we had to bring somebody else in."
Werdann who played most of his career as a centre is a fine pick by Charlotte. Although, he had a short stint in NBA as a player, Werdann had a decent record while playing at the collegiate level that earned him a place in the
1992 draft, where he was picked up as 46 overall by the Denver Nuggets.
Rob spent a season with the Nuggets where he played 28 games, later he moved to the New Jersey Nets where he didn’t get much opportunity to play (played only 19 games in two seasons).
After getting flamed out, Werdann started playing overseas and in Continental Basketball Association or CBA (professional basketball league in United States of America) with Harrisburg Hammerheads.
After quitting basketball as a professional player, Werdann became the assistant coach of a CBA team Yakima Sun Kings. Later on September 10, 2001, he joined Columbus Riverdragons, as an assistant in the D-League. After spending
three years with the Riverdragons, Werdann was recruited as a scout by the New Orleans Hornets.
After remaining a scout for five long years with the Hornets, New Orleans head coach Byron Scott pulled him into his coaching staff. Werdann along with the other coaching staff drained away when Scott was fired after a poor 2009-10
season. Last year, Werdann performed the assistant coach duties at the Golden State Warriors.
According to the sources, Stephen Silas the son of Bobcats head coach, who is also an assistant coach at the Golden State, was the one who recommended his father to hire Werdann. Both Stephen and Werdann were the associates of
the former New Orleans coach, Byron Scott.
The details of the contract have not been released as yet, however Silas has hinted that the former NBA centre will be specifically used to train the young bigs in the team, "We're excited to have Rob Werdann joining our staff.
His experience as both a coach and a scout will benefit our team, especially our big men."
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