Hollins looking to stay on top as a coach in the NBA

Steve Addy

Thursday, June 1, 2000 | 10:11 a.m.

Inductee profiles

Tuesday: Jim Colbert

Wednesday: Johnny Tocco

TODAY: Lionel Hollins

Friday: Randall Cunningham, Tom Wiesner

Finally, Lionel Hollins is getting some good news without a gray cloud lurking in the distance.

When the former Rancho High and NBA guard is inducted into the Southern Nevada Sports Hall of Fame on Friday, forgive him if he fears the podium might collapse or the microphone won't work. It has been that kind of topsy-turvy year for Hollins.

Getting your first shot as an NBA head coach is a good thing, but getting it with an awful team like the Vancouver Grizzlies is not.

Compiling the best winning percentage of any coach in franchise history (.300) is a good thing, but doing it on an assistant's salary is not.

And there's nothing good about getting fired -- or "not rehired" -- which happened to Hollins on May 8. It wasn't much of a surprise, because new Grizzlies owner Michael Heisley intended to clean house, but it didn't make it any easier for the 47-year-old Hollins.

"It was a bizarre year," he said. "It definitely was not your usual transfer of ownership."

And now, after coaching Vancouver to an 18-42 record in relief of the fired Brian Hill, Hollins is back on the NBA job market, trying to get an interview as a head coach. The Wizards and Nets have openings, but have not called. The Hawks' job went to Illinois' Lon Kruger, Dallas gave Don Nelson a three-year extension, and the Pistons plan to stick with George Irvine.

"The teams appear to have certain guys in mind," Hollins said. "I don't know what route I am going to take. My first goal is to continue as a head coach. But to stay in the league, if that is not a reality, I will look at an assistant's job."

For most of the season, Hollins worked on his $250,000 assistant's salary anyway. Though he was elevated to head coach on Dec. 16, he did not receive the traditional salary bump from previous Grizzlies owners Orca Bay Sports. Finally, it took a power play by Hollins to get his money.

Fearing he would be fired soon anyway, he threatened to not coach the April 6 game against Portland unless his contract was reworked, a gutsy move that was applauded by fellow NBA coaches. He was given a $400,000 lump-sum payment, but was fired by phone after the season, not having a chance to make his case with Heisley to remain coach.

"I would have liked to come back and gone at it from training camp," Hollins said, and one of his starters felt he deserved that opportunity.

Guard Michael Dickerson told the Vancouver Sun, "He should get a whole training camp to put in his system, to define roles, and then have a whole year."

Regardless of his job title, there is little doubt Hollins will remain in the NBA, continuing a successful association that began in 1975 when he was drafted by Portland after an All-American career at Arizona State. He helped the Blazers win the 1977 NBA title, averaging 14.7 points in his second season, highlighting a 10-year career in which he averaged 11.6 points in 673 games.

In the '77 Finals, the 76ers won the first two games, but Portland swept the next four.

"In the first two games, we had 58 turnovers," Hollins said. "There was a lot of nervousness and guys trying to do too much. We were a young team. When we went home, we really settled down and took over the series. We had the kind of game Philly couldn't handle, a lot of motion, ball movement, good passing. We didn't just dump it into (Bill Walton) in the post."

Hollins was the first prominent NBA player to come out of Las Vegas. Averaging about 30 points, he guided Rancho High to the state semifinals in 1970 and '71, then played two seasons at Dixie College. He almost quit Dixie after his freshman year, but stuck it out. His former Dixie coach Doug Allred will be his presenter at the hall of fame banquet.

"He was like a father to me," Hollins said of Allred. "I was in a very different environment at Dixie and it was a hard transition. There were times when I wanted to just quit and go home. But I didn't transfer. I stayed out of loyalty to coach. It's the best decision I ever made."

As he ponders his hall of fame induction, Hollins has thought back on the many coaches he has had and what he learned from each.

"I had great coaching as a kid -- Myron Leavitt, James Pughsley, then Lloyd Booth at Rancho," Hollins said. "Then at Dixie and Arizona State (Ned Wulk), and Portland with Lenny Wilkens and Jack Ramsay, I've been very fortunate to always have such great teaching and direction."