Mike Bibby is already bringing in former NBA players' sons as he begins rebuilding Sacramento State
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — Mike Bibby and Shaquille O'Neal are going to be mixing it up again, all these years later.
No more Kings-Lakers rivalry or on-court trash talk. Now, it's Bibby the college coach and O'Neal the student-athlete father.
Good thing they get along great these days — because Shaq's son, Shaqir, verbally committed to play for Bibby in the former Kings star's new position as head coach at Sacramento State.
'Me and Shaq have a good relationship. It probably wasn't good when we were playing against each other,' Bibby said with a grin when formally introduced at the school Tuesday. 'There was a lot of try to get a rivalry going, try to make it big time in the league.'
Don't be surprised if more NBA players' sons wind up in California's capital with one of the most beloved stars to come through the Sacramento franchise. Bibby's phone hasn't stopped ringing since he was hired last week to take over the program. He doesn't even have time anymore to take his daily naps.
The 46-year-old Bibby is ready to lead the Hornets back into contention in the Big Sky Conference right away after they finished 7-25 last season.
'How awesome is this, look at our new head coach,' athletic director Mark Orr said. 'Today's introduction of Coach Bibby marks a successful turn of events here at Sacramento State over the last couple years. Our university is certainly on the rise.'
Bibby retired in 2012 and has had various coaching jobs since. He won five state titles and coached 25 players who received college scholarships in six seasons as coach at Shadow Mountain High School in Phoenix. He also has been an assistant for the Puerto Rican National Team, summer league teams for Cleveland and Memphis, and the NBA G-League Ignite.
'Mike isn't just a basketball legend, he's a Sacramento legend,' Sacramento State President Dr. Luke Wood said. "The city embraced him during his NBA years and he's returning that love by choosing to lead our program. He understands the spirit of this place, the grit, the underdog mentality, the pride and determination and he's ready to build something that's special right here at Sacramento State. With Coach Bibby at the helm we are raising the bar.'
Orr said he received inquiries about the job from NBA-level coaches on down, 'and I kept coming back to one of the greatest basketball minds that this city has ever seen. He loves this community and wants to be here.'
And Bibby wants to leave a lasting mark and build something special here. He knows the student-athletes will look to him as an example of someone who has been at the top.
'I'm not satisfied with just being here. I don't want to let the city down and I'm going to do my hardest not to," Bibby said. "These kids are trying to get to where I've been, and why not get it from someone that's been there before?'
Bibby won an NCAA championship as a player at Arizona in 1997 and then starred in the NBA for 14 seasons, with his most successful stint coming during seven seasons with the Kings. He helped Sacramento reach Game 7 of the 2002 Western Conference Finals before losing to O'Neal and the Los Angeles Lakers.
Bibby's players can't wait to get going.
'He's a legend, and I think the city needs somebody that's going to reflect it culturally,' senior guard EJ Neal said. 'He's an icon in Sacramento.'
Bibby is ready to teach — 'Everything has to be precise. We do it hard or we do it again."
He plans to schedule top non-conference opponents — 'They'll overlook us.'
He has no doubt the Hornets will win immediately — 'I have plans of taking this conference by storm.'
'Having a coach come in here to teach us and to try and push us and hold us accountable so we can get better and get to that position where he was I think is the biggest thing,' senior forward Jalen Pitre said.
Even with all of that confidence and swag, Bibby was clearly a bit emotional and overcome by this full-circle moment.
'I'm lost for words right now, I'm nervous as you guys can tell,' Bibby said. 'I'm just ready, I've been ready for this for a long time.'
___
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Janie Mccauley, The Associated Press
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