Clippers add Bob Ociepka to the coaching staff

[mkwest]

CLIPPERS NAME OCIEPKA ASSISTANT COACH
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

7/27/12

The Los Angeles Clippers today announced that they have hired long-time NBA coach Bob Ociepka to serve as an assistant coach on Vinny Del Negro’s staff for the 2012-13 season.

Ociepka, 63, has worked in the NBA for 22 years and brings over 30 years of coaching experience to the Clippers sideline. The Chicago native returns to Los Angeles for his second stint with the Clippers after serving as an assistant coach from 1993-96 under Bob Weiss and Bill Fitch. Ociepka was an assistant coach for Del Negro with the Chicago Bulls from 2008-10.

For the past two seasons, Ociepka was an assistant coach on the staff of Nate McMillan and Kaleb Canales in Portland. In his 22 year NBA coaching career, Ociepka has worked for a total of nine teams, also spending time with the Minnesota Timberwolves (2006-08), Milwaukee Bucks (2003-04 – 2005-06), Detroit Pistons (1998-99, 2001-03), Cleveland Cavaliers (1999-2001), Philadelphia 76ers (1996-97) and Indiana Pacers (1989-90 – 1992-93).

Ociepka began his NBA career working as a part-time volunteer scout for the Detroit Pistons in the 1980’s and also worked as an advance scout for the Orlando Magic during the 1997-98 season.

One of the most decorated prep coaches in Chicago history, Ociepka was inducted into the Chicago Catholic League Hall of Fame on May 4, 2000 for his success at Gordon Tech and York High Schools. He played basketball in college at Quincy College in Illinois and is the author of two books on the game of basketball, “Basketball Playbook: Plays from the Pros,” published in 1995 and “Basketball Playbook 2: More Plays from the Pros,” published in 2001.

Clippers.com

[mkwest]

IND 89-93: Dick Versace/Bob Hill
LAC 93-96: Bob Weiss/Bill Fitch
76ers 96-97 Johnny Davis
ORL 97-98: Advanced Scout
Det 98-99: Alvin Gentry
Cavs 99-01: Randy Wittman
DET 01-03: Rick Carlisle
MIL 03-06: Terry Porter/Terry Stotts
MIN 07-08: Randy Wittman
CHI 08-10: Vinny Del Negro
POR 10-12: Nate McMillan/Kaleb Canales

We hired Demopoulos (he's no longer with the team) from Portland and now Ociepka. Both are considered to be defensive-minded coaches.

[RiversideClips]

Did we loose an Assistant or we just got another coach? So there is going to be two Defensive coaches?

[mkwest]

Did we loose an Assistant or we just got another coach? So there is going to be two Defensive coaches?

Demopoulos is gone, so Ociepka is taking his place.

[RiversideClips]

Sweet, I just didn't dig that guy, seemed arrogant.

[TheNewEra]

Hope this guy can command some defensive respect we need some direction on d

[mkwest]

To my knowledge, Patrick Ewing is still without a home. The Clippers need to continue the offseason success and sign Ewing. He could work primarily with our bigs and help develop them on the defensive end.

[og15]

That would be a good move. It has been said that Ewing doesn't want to be a big man coach anymore, but something is better than nothing. He hasn't been proactive in putting himself in the position to be hired based on his involvement in coaching related duties.

Having a full training camp should hopefully benefit the team in terms of being better defensively.

[mkwest]

That would be a good move. It has been said that Ewing doesn't want to be a big man coach anymore, but something is better than nothing. He hasn't been proactive in putting himself in the position to be hired based on his involvement in coaching related duties.

Having a full training camp should hopefully benefit the team in terms of being better defensively.

I understand that he wants a head job, but not even his friends are giving him much consideration for that at the moment. He doesn't want to put himself in a box and limit his coaching potential, but he has done an excellent job in the development of young bigs so far. Yao and Dwight have both been the best center in the league at some point during their careers and he's been an instrumental ingredient to their success.