Jun 22, 2015; New Orleans, LA, USA; New Orleans Pelicans head coach Alvin Gentry holds up a jersey with general manager
Dell Demps(right) during a press conference at the New Orleans Pelicans Training Facility. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports
22. Alvin Gentry, New Orleans Pelicans
Remember when the Suns were a dominant team with Steve Nash, Shawn Marion and an Amar’e Stoudemire who didn’t punch fire extinguishers? Gentry led the Suns to a 54-28 record during the 2009-10 season, when they also won 10 playoff games.
Now, Jrue Holiday is clearly a better point guard than Steve Nash was, and Luke Babbit is obviously as dynamic of a player as Marion was. Also that was a joke because let’s be honest, Luke Babbit is just some trash, and Steve Nash is the best passer since UNC athletes in their African American studies classes.
But in many ways Stoudemire and Anthony Davis are very similar players. They put up nearly identical statistics during their rookie seasons, and in the following seasons their scoring numbers skyrocketed. Gentry will be key as the Pelicans continue to develop Davis, and with a little more depth and a little less Babbit, this team could definitely make a run for the eighth seed in the west.
Next: Billy Donovan