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Rudy Tomjanovich resigns as Lakers coach
The stress of coaching the Los Angeles Lakers wore Rudy Tomjanovich down to the point where he needed medication just to get by. When that didn't work, he realized something had to change.
So, Tomjanovich resigned Wednesday, his tenure as coach of the Lakers lasting barely half a season.
"I hadn't been on antibiotics for a couple of years, or at least a year, and already here, because of my resistance being low, I was on it consistently, you know, with infections. And it just seemed like I just got deeper and deeper into not feeling good."
Tomjanovich, 56, said he'll never coach again.
"That's clear in my mind — absolutely not," he said.
He said he felt disappointed, but not ashamed.
"I couldn't shut it off when I was away from the arena," Tomjanovich said. "Why this happened now and why my body couldn't take it now, I do not have the answer. I've been through a heck of a lot more."
Like the life-threatening punch he took from Kermit Washington as a player in 1977; his battle with alcoholism, and dealing with bladder cancer less than two years ago.
Tomjanovich survived all that, but decided coaching at this time was too much for him.
"I know I did become consumed and maybe — I can't remember exactly how I was before — but I'd go for a walk and think that was an outlet," he said. "But all I thought about was basketball while I was walking."
Proudly, he said his sobriety hasn't been threatened by what he's been going through.
"There are no outside influences, be it pressure from above, anything to do with my players or being here in Los Angeles," Tomjanovich said. "This is all about me and how I'm wired. Nobody put pressure on me but me.
"Maybe I'm an old general that needs to get his butt off the front line and do something else."
Tomjanovich went 24-19 in his first season as Phil Jackson's successor and with a revamped lineup built around Kobe Bryant, who has missed the last nine games because of a sprained ankle.
Included are the two wins the Lakers earned under assistant Frank Hamblen in games Tomjanovich missed this week because of a stomach virus.
Tomjanovich will remain with the Lakers as a consultant, mainly working as a scout.
"We respect Rudy's concerns for his health, which is of course the paramount issue," team owner Dr. Jerry Buss said in a statement. Tomjanovich was a member of the Houston Rockets' organization for 34 years as a player, coach and consultant. He coached the team for 12 years before stepping down following the 2002-03 season after learning he had bladder cancer. He coached the Rockets to NBA championships in 1994 and 1995. General manager Mitch Kupchak said Hamblen would stay on indefinitely as coach of the Lakers, but didn't rule out the return of Jackson. "He's going to be our coach going forward," Kupchak said of the 57-year-old Hamblen, a career assistant. "Whether that changes in the next month, three months, a year, remains to be seen. "Phil Jackson's name will come up. If there was a business contact (with Jackson), I would know about it. I'm not aware of any business contact with Phil Jackson." Kupchak also said he didn't believe there was an urgency to hiring another coach. Tomjanovich signed a $30 million, five-year contract last summer to replace Jackson, who left after guiding the Lakers to three NBA championships and a berth in the finals in his five years on the job. Jackson and Buss said at the time that the separation was mutual. Tomjanovich addressed the team in an emotional meeting shortly before speaking to the media, and said the get-together with his players got quite emotional. "I don't cry a lot. I did in that situation," he said. "He just basically came in and poured his heart out to us," Bryant said. "We just wish him the best. He's extremely passionate, emotional. But he's a fighter. To see him down like that, it really hurt and shocked us all." Naturally, Bryant was asked about Jackson, who wrote a tell-all book released before the season that portrayed Bryant as aloof and difficult to coach. "Rudy's situation is a very serious situation. I can't go from that to talk about successors," Bryant said. "It really doesn't matter to me. I'm just the guy in the middle. ... I've said that time and time again, I love Phil as a coach. If that's the decision, I'll roll with it." So will Hamblen, who seems ready to handle whatever comes his way. His only other experience as a head coach came in 1991-92 when he went 23-42 with Milwaukee when Del Harris was sidelined by stomach problems. "Apparently, Mitch said it could be a day, a month, a year," Hamblen said. "There's nothing like the security of the NBA. "Phil has his lot in life, I have mine. Sure, you'd always like to be an NBA head coach. If I owned a team or was in charge, I'd want Phil Jackson also. He's got nine rings. My ego's not that big. If it ended tomorrow, I'd say these 36 years have been a great ride. It really hasn't sunk in yet about me being the coach of the Lakers." His first game in that capacity comes Thursday night, when the Lakers try to extend their winning streak to a season-high three games against the San Antonio Spurs, whose 37-10 record is the best in the NBA. The Lakers then begin a five-game road trip Sunday at Houston. Bryant said he hopes to play sometime during the trip.
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