It seems more and more true that the best way to get into coaching in the NBA is to work as a broadcaster. We’ve seen Mark Jackson and Jeff Van Gundy make those moves back and forth in the past several years as well as Doug Collins, Mike Fratello, George Karl, and Vinny Del Negro among others. And of course, Steve Kerr has had the best start to a coaching career in NBA history and he went straight from sitting besides Marv Albert to the Warriors sideline.
Jackson and Van Gundy’s names have reportedly been circling around some of the job openings this season that have popped up around the NBA, but now there’s a new broadcasting name to potentially throw in the mix.
Kenny “The Jet” Smith.
The longtime Inside the NBA studio analyst is reportedly going to be interviewed for the head coaching position by his former team, the Houston Rockets, according to multiple reporters.
NBA sources: #Rockets will interview former Rockets star Kenny Smith (@TheJetOnTNT) in South Florida Tuesday pic.twitter.com/FtziQLa3NZ
— Mark Berman (@MarkBerman_) May 9, 2016
Rockets will interview Kenny Smith tomorrow according to a source.
— Calvin Watkins (@calvinwatkins) May 9, 2016
Can confirm #Rockets are interviewing former Suns HC Jeff Hornacek, Hornets AC Stephen Silas & @TheJetOnTNT (Kenny Smith) for vacant HC job
— Adam Wexler (@AdamJWexler) May 9, 2016
Smith found a lot of success on the court with the Rockets in his playing days, winning two championships with them in the mid-90s. Why wouldn’t Houston look to dip back into the most successful period of its past to try to guide the future of a very talented, yet discombobulated roster? If I was “The Jet” though, I don’t know how excited I would be to jump right in with both feet to the mess in Houston with my first ever coaching job. Plus, how awkward is it going to be when the feud between Charles Barkley and Rockets GM Daryl Morey is brought up in the interview?
It’s a surprising development if only because we’ve never really heard Smith’s name in coaching rumors before. Smith has been with TNT since 1998 (!!!) and even has his own reality show with Turner. He’s been a mainstay on the best studio show in sports with Ernie Johnson and Charles Barkley for almost 20 years now. Breaking up that beloved trio is something we never thought we would have to encounter, but it looks like we might have to consider the possibility.
