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KING'S GRADUATE BOB MacKINNON NAMED HEAD COACH OF COLORADO 14'ers OF NBA DEVELOPMENTAL LEAGUE

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Bob MacKinnon NBAE

DENVER – The Colorado 14ers basketball club announced the appointment of former Los Angeles Lakers Scout and NCAA coach Bob MacKinnon today as the new Head Coach of the 14ers.

The 14ers, a member of the NBA Development League, is the farm team of the Denver Nuggets and New Jersey Nets. The 14ers will tip off its 50-game 2008-09 season in November. MacKinnon steps in after the 14ers’ first Head Coach Joe Wolf earned an NBA Call Up in April to the Milwaukee Bucks to serve as an assistant coach.

"I am extremely excited to be the next leader of the Colorado 14ers! It is a fantastic time for both the Developmental League and the 14ers, as the league continues to evolve,” said MacKinnon. “This is a great opportunity for myself and my family to be with one of the model franchises and to be part of the great community of Broomfield within the Denver/Boulder area. We look forward to putting down roots and having a long, exciting and successful run with the 14ers!"

“After a national search of almost 40 impressive candidates, Bob MacKinnon’s name and qualifications kept coming to the forefront. I believe Bob is the kind of man and coach that will keep the 14ers in the community and take the team to greater success,” said Tim Wiens, Owner.

A native of Buffalo, NY, and the son of longtime NBA coach and General Manager Bob MacKinnon, Sr., MacKinnon played college basketball at King's College in Wilkes-Barre, Pa., before embarking on his coaching career. He earned his Master's Degree in Education from Niagara University in 1997.

MacKinnon's coaching career started at his alma mater as an assistant before moving on to assistant coaching positions at Mercyhurst College, George Washington University and Niagara. He took over as head coach at the United States Merchant Marine Academy in 1997 and won a pair of Skyline Conference Championships, posting a 38-16 record in two seasons. He was also named the 1999 Skyline Conference Coach-of-the-Year.

From there he served as an assistant coach with Matt Doherty at Notre Dame for one season before moving to UNC. Their teams at Notre Dame and UNC posted wins over programs such as Ohio State, Connecticut, Kansas, Duke, and Maryland. In their first season at UNC, the Tar Heels had an 18-game winning streak and were ranked number one in the country. He also helped to recruit UNC's recruiting class that was ranked in the top five in the nation in 2002. His efforts in recruiting those classes lead to the Tar Heels winning the 2005 NCAA National Championship.

In 2003, MacKinnon joined the staff of the NCAA Division I Marshall University men’s basketball team as the senior assistant for four seasons to Head Coach Ron Jirsa. From there, he earned a position with the L.A. Lakers as a scout and as the associate director of the 2005-07 Lakers summer camps before coming to Colorado.

WHAT THEY SAY ABOUT BOB MacKINNON

“Bob is an excellent coach and will do a wonderful job. Our organization looks forward to working with him as we anticipate the possibility of having players in Colorado.”
- Rod Thorn, President, N.J. Nets

“Bob MacKinnon’s resume is rich in basketball history, with his father being a longtime NBA coach and GM. He has literally grown up in the game and has a terrific reputation as both a solid basketball coach and team ambassador. The Nuggets look forward to working with Bob.”
- Mark Warkentien, VP of Basketball Operations, Denver Nuggets

“Bob MacKinnon has been a successful coach at every many different levels and I would expect him to be just as successful as the coach of the D-Leagues 14ers. The 14ers are fortunate to have hired a coach with Bob MacKinnon’s experience and pedigree. Nobody will work harder nor put in more hours than Bob MacKinnon. Bob MacKinnon has dedicated his life to the game of basketball and will be a huge asset to the 14ers franchise and the community Broomfield.”
- Mitch Kupchak, General Manager, L.A. Lakers

“I’ve known Bob MacKinnon for over 30 years. He is a great basketball professional. He is passionate for the game. He has the ability to deal with a wide variety of situations and maintain focus. He is a terrific source of knowledge and he is a great addition to the 14ers and the league.”
- Jeff Bowers, General Manager, New Orleans Hornets

“Bob will be thorough in his approach to the game. He will be a tremendous leader. He will be an asset to the community.”
- Mike O'Koren, Lead Assistant Coach, Washington Wizards

“Bob MacKinnon is outstanding coach that will be a great asset to the Colorado 14ers. He is one of the most thorough coaches in his preparation for games and his ability to develop players. His personality will be contagious for the team, organization and the surrounding community.”
- John Kuester, Assistant Coach, Cleveland Cavaliers

“Bob is a great choice. He comes from a strong basketball family and I have known them for a long time. His father was the one who drafted me when I was at Buffalo.”
- Adrian Dantley, Assistant Coach, Denver Nuggets

“Coach MacKinnon has great knowledge and experience of the game. His strong suit is his background of developing players. Having coached at college basketball’s highest level and most recently worked as a scout in the NBA for the LA Lakers makes him a great choice for the 14ers. Bob is a very good coach and even a better person who is respected throughout the world of basketball.”
- Jeff Reynolds, Head Coach, Air Force Academy

"Bob MacKinnon is a first class gentleman of high integrity. He is highly respected by everyone that I know who has had the pleasure of working with him. I have seen him in action, both on and off the court, as a coach and a leader, and there is no question that he knows what he is doing. Bob possesses a great love for the game of basketball, and he will prove to be a great asset to both the Colorado 14ers and the National Basketball Association Development League."
- Larry Gallo, Jr., Sr. Associate Director of Athletics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

“Bob will breathe great energy into that team. I have always been impressed with how great a communicator he is. They are in for some special things.”
- Mike Brey, Head Basketball Coach, University of Notre Dame

“You have the right person for the job. He will work extremely hard and the results will be very good.”
- Bobby Castagna, Associate Athletics Director, UC Santa Barbara