Kenny Atkinson Cancels Taking Coach Of The Charlotte Hornets

Kenny Atkinson/ Photo: Antara

JAKARTA - Kenny Atkinson has reportedly canceled as head coach of the Charlotte Hornets and has decided to continue his role as assistant coach at the Golden State Warriors. Quoting Antara, Sunday, June 19, Atkinson felt it was the right decision to become the Warriors' main assistant coach rather than move to train the Hornets.

Atkinson was previously reported to have agreed a four-year contract as head coach of the Hornets but neither side have put that agreement on paper.

Later, after further talks between the two sides, Atkinson finally decided that professionally and personally the best option for him was to stay at the Warriors.

In the last three years Atkinson has moved across three NBA teams after leaving the Brooklyn Nets head coach, becoming an assistant to the Los Angeles Clippers and eventually moving to the Warriors as well as an assistant under head coach Steve Kerr.

Atkinson will become the Warriors' assistant main coach following the departure of Mike Brown, who will start next season as head coach of the Sacramento Kings.

Atkinson was the only one of the three final candidates for head coach of the Hornets who had a meeting with team owner, Michael Jordan, on June 8 in Boston.

The other two final candidates were Mike D'Antoni and Terry Stotts. But the Hornets will have to start the process of finding a replacement for James Borrego, who they sacked last month, all over again.

The Hornets failed to make it to the playoffs for six seasons in a row, the second worst record behind the Kings, who have endured the same for the past 16 seasons.

Last season the Hornets recorded a 43-39 win-loss record and took part in a play-in tournament supported by the 2021 NBA Rookie of the Year and a member of the 2022 LaMelo Ball All-Star team with Miles Bridges as the core of their roster.