Pam McGee has resigned as girls basketball coach at Sacramento High School after one season. She said the move enables her to spend time with her son.
JaVale McGee, a 7-foot sophomore center at Nevada last season, is expected to be a first-round pick in the NBA's June 26 draft.
"Obviously, I don't want to leave Sac High," Pam McGee said. "But I'm a mother, too. I want to help my son make the transition to the NBA.
"I had to make this move."
Sac High athletic director Justin Gatling said he hopes to have McGee's replacement in two weeks.
"Losing Pam is huge, but we will carry on," Gatling said. "Like always, we are looking for a quality coach to lead the program."
With a young team that featured All-Metro first-team players Erica Barnes and Quanisha Turner, McGee led Sac High to a 26-3 record and a berth in the Sac-Joaquin Section Division III finals, where the Lady Dragons lost to St. Mary's of Stockton.
The Lady Dragons ended their season with a loss in the second round of the Northern California regional playoffs to eventual Division III state champion Sacred Heart Cathedral of San Francisco.
McGee presented a no-nonsense persona, relying on her extensive college and professional playing experience to help establish her credibility. She won back-to-back national championships playing for USC in 1983 and 1984, was named an All-American in 1984 and earned an Olympic gold medal. She played professionally overseas and in the WNBA with the Monarchs and Los Angeles Sparks.
"Bottom line," said Doris Turner, mother of Sac High point guard Quanisha Turner, "she let us parents know she was not here for any drama."
She also received scrutiny and criticism. Some opposing coaches said she ran up scores, and others objected to her sideline personality.
"Pam was very colorful and very intense on the court," Kennedy coach Brandon Yung said. "And maybe that combination took its toll. Plus, when you factor in all the responsibilities you have to handle being a coach these days, you can't do it all, especially if you want to spend more time with your family. I understand her reason."
Eric Barnes, father of Sac High forward Erica Barnes, said the team will endure.
"As a parent, I understand the move," Barnes said. "But … this team is good enough where anybody can drive the bus."
Call The Bee's Quwan Spears, (916) 326-5517.
