You and me both.
I hope Bayno comes to LMU with something to prove and does a good job. I hope Husak thought long and hard about this but I like it so far. I am cautiously optimistic about the future.
More articles.
Bill Bayno, the popular assistant coach of the Trail Blazers who is often seen drenched in sweat after working out a player, has left the team to become the head coach at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles.
The West Coast Conference school won't announce the hiring until today and has scheduled a Wednesday press conference, but multiple sources said Bayno accepted the job Thursday after Mike Montgomery, the former Stanford University and Golden State coach, declined the job. Bayno, 45, will sign a five-year contract worth just more than $2 million.
Bayno was given time off by the Blazers following Saturday's loss to Charlotte in order to fly to Los Angeles for interviews. Bayno rejoined the team in Los Angeles for Wednesday's game against the Lakers, but did not return to Portland with the team in order to meet with LMU officials on Thursday.
Bayno, who spent two years as a scout and the past two years as an assistant, will not take part in the Blazers' final six games of the season. He declined to comment until the hiring process was complete.
Popular for his easy-going personality and tireless on-the-court work with players, Bayno had become part of the culture of the Blazers' recent renaissance. Along with assistant Monty Williams, Bayno was the Blazers prime development coach, supervising offseason workouts as well as holding intense pregame sessions with players.
A common sight after practices or before games was Bayno playing one-on-one with Sergio Rodriguez or Steve Blake, or thumping Channing Frye and Joel Przybilla with padded mitts in an attempt to condition the post players to finish shots while being fouled.
Last summer he worked extensively with prized draft pick Greg Oden in Oden's hometown of Indianapolis, and this season he was largely credited with helping LaMarcus Aldridge develop his inside game. He was also scheduled to coach the Blazers' summer league team in Las Vegas in July.
The Blazers offered Bayno a raise in an attempt to keep him, but Bayno turned down the offer.
"It's a big loss,'' Blazers general manager Kevin Pritchard said. "The players have all become pretty close to him. As a development coach, he didn't just come out on the court and work on the player's shot, he got to know them and became part of their family. So this is like losing a part of your family.''
The Blazers will begin an immediate search for Bayno's replacement and hope to have the job filled by the June draft.
"We have big shoes to fill,'' Pritchard said.
Blazers coach Nate McMillan said he already has a couple of candidates in mind, but will not rush to make a decision.
"This is a loss, but I've got good coaches here. I like my staff,'' McMillan said. "So we will get another guy who will be able to teach, communicate and work.''
Bayno was the head coach at UNLV from 1995-2000, winning two Big West Conference regular season titles and two conference tournament titles. He was fired after suspicion of recruiting violations, but the NCAA later cleared Bayno of any wrongdoing. He was also an assistant at Kansas, Massachusetts and Seton Hall.
The news of Bayno's departure was met with mixed emotions. The players and coaches were happy Bayno got another head coaching job, but they were left wondering how the multi-faceted coach could be replaced. In addition to developing players, Bayno also provided scouting reports and was a consistent voice in the meetings of the coaching staff.
"It's devastating,'' said Williams. "We work so well together as far as the development of guys. It's hard to find a guy who will get out there and sweat with the guys. Not only that, but his preparation for the games. The bottom line is he works. He works his tail off.''
The players said they felt like they were losing a teammate.
"He was like one of us,'' Aldridge said. "We didn't see him so much as a coach as much has just one of the fellas who helped us get better. For me, he helped me with reading defenses, how to seal my man, and just watching tapes. He's a hard worker who deserves to move up.''
Frye, who had daily sessions with Bayno, said he has lost his closest assistant.
"He has been the most consistent in helping me with my game,'' Frye said. "He was the guy I kind of took-to, and he took me under his wing. It's a pretty big loss for us because he helped us get better everyday. And he was a guy who understood us, our way of thinking, and he knew how to say stuff to us. This is going to be tough.''
Bayno also worked extensively with Rodriguez, the Spanish point guard, whom he played one-on-one with while talking Spanish.
"He helped me every day to get better, and he is a great person,'' Rodriguez said. " He helped the team a lot, and was a great motivator. I appreciate everything he has done.''
Added Jarrett Jack: "He was one of the more livelier coaches. One of the guys you can really relate to easier. He was upbeat and funny. It's difficult to lose him. I wish him all the luck in the world.''
Bayno takes over an LMU team that went 5-26 last season, including 2-12 in the WCC. He replaces Rodney Tention, who resigned on March 12 after going 30-61 in three seasons. Bayno, who lives near Venice Beach in the offseason, will coach less than 10 minutes from his home.
