Jam notebook: Assistant coaches bring NBA experience
| Tuesday, Oct 06 2009 09:28 PM
Last Updated Tuesday, Oct 06 2009 09:28 PM
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Mark Strickland and Greg Minor, who have combined for 15 years as NBA players, were announced Tuesday as assistant coaches for the Bakersfield Jam.
Strickland, 39, played for eight teams from 1995-2003. Minor, 38, played five seasons with the Boston Celtics.
Also joining the staff are Chris Leazier, who has coached at the college and high school level for 15 years, and Jeff Christensen, a former player at Eastern Washington who is an intern.
Strickland played minor league basketball in the CBA and USBL, and he also played in Puerto Rico before starting his NBA career.
Strickland was an assistant coach at Morehouse College in Atlanta last season.
"(Coaching) college was more frustrating. I was used to a certain talent level," Strickland said.
"Now I'm coaching pro players. They're hungry to get to the next level. Their dream is to play in the NBA. Hopefully it will be much easier translating information to those players and get them to buy into what Will is trying to get them to do. We're just here to help."
Minor, who will work with the perimeter players, said one of his top goals is helping Jam players "conduct themselves as professionals, on the court and off."
D-League draft Nov. 5
Voigt said the D-League draft will be eight rounds this year, down from 10 rounds in the past. It will be held on Thursday, Nov. 5.
The first full squad workout will likely be held a week later.
Two tryout sessions set
The Jam will hold tryouts open to anyone on Oct. 17-18 in the San Francisco area and Oct. 24-25 in the Los Angeles area. For details, call the Jam office or click on the open player tryout link on the team's Web page.
Voigt a walking wounded
Jam coach Will Voigt tore his right Achilles' tendon on Sept. 14 while working out potential Jam players near his Vermont home.
He had surgery on Sept. 16 and arrived in Bakersfield on Sept. 21.
"There was no rhyme nor reason for it," said Voigt, who was using crutches Tuesday. "I didn't plant on it. It just went."
