Hooped Up

Westphal, who has a record of 267-159 in six-plus seasons as an NBA head coach, was told he will be the next Kings coach.

With the Kings engaged in their third coaching search in the past four off-seasons, and Lakers assistant coach Kurt Rambis and Boston associate head coach Tom Thibodeau also in the running, Kings basketball President Geoff Petriehad deemed it a horse race that would end in a photo finish. But it wasn’t nearly that simple, as Westphal won the job largely on his NBAexperience and enthusiasm for the job itself.

He becomes the fourth Kings coach since Rick Adelman was not re-signed in 2006. Even though Westphal hasn’t been a head coach since 2000 (in Seattle), Petrie said he has no doubt he will be part of the solution.

Sacramento Bee