INDEPENDENCE, Ohio (AP) — From the outside, Kenny Atkinson kept tabs on Cleveland and recognized something special happening with the Cavaliers.
They had young talent. They had a positive culture. And, in Donovan Mitchell, they had a superstar.
Atkinson wanted to be a part of it.
So, when the Cavs fired J.B. Bickerstaff after losing in the second round of the playoffs and focused on Atkinson as their possible new coach, the Warriors assistant told president of basketball of operations Koby Altman that his search was over.
He was their man.
“The first thing I said (was), ‘I want this job, I’m going for it and I’m going to be aggressive,’” Atkinson said Monday after being introduced by Altman. “I knew all the great things that were in place.”
With a sterling reputation for developing young players, the 57-year-old Atkinson who spent the past three seasons as Steve Kerr’s top assistant in Golden State came across as earnest and excited about this new opportunity — his second head coaching gig — during a 45-minute news conference at the team’s facility.