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Headline Maloofs gush over Brooks
Kings assistant wows = co-owners=20 in second head-coaching=20 interview
Origin Sam Amick Bee Staff = Writer
Publication Date 6/12/2007
Page C1
Section SPORTS
Edition METRO FINAL
Dateline LAS=20 VEGAS
Corrections  
Memo  
Body Text It=20 was only 10:45 a.m., and they were ready to ink a deal. =

Not=20 the Kings and their prospective head coach, but the nearly = 20 people=20 waiting outside a tattoo parlor in the same Palms Casino = where Scott Brooks was hoping to inspire = an inking=20 of a whole different fashion.

Entering Brooks' = second=20 official interview Monday for the Kings' head-coaching = position,=20 some within the organization said the only obstacle between = the=20 assistant and his official promotion was the approval of = team=20 co-owners Joe and Gavin Maloof.

Kings basketball = president=20 Geoff Petrie knew Brooks = on a much=20 different level than the Maloofs and is known to think = highly of the=20 41-year-old, making the top objective of this session to = gauge the=20 Maloofs' opinion. And if their reaction just after a nearly=20 90-minute lunch at the familiar 24/7 Cafe was any = indication,=20 consider Brooks = endorsed.=20

"I felt terrific about it," Joe Maloof said as he = stood=20 wearing sunglasses just outside the casino's front doors. = "He's not=20 flashy, and he's got his feet squarely on the ground. He's a = family=20 man. He knows the game. He's got a lot of positives. He's = pretty=20 hard not to like."

Though Petrie is the clear point = man for=20 the coaching search that began with the April 20 firing of = Eric=20 Musselman, the Maloofs' influence remains. Candidates who = have not=20 garnered a comfort level with both Petrie and ownership have = come=20 and gone or never been interviewed, with the one apparent = agreement=20 ending when Stan Van Gundy bolted out of Sacramento to sign = with=20 Orlando. Yet Van Gundy's runaway act only strengthened = Brooks' case,=20 with the consensus that not only does Brooks -- unlike Van Gundy -- = badly want=20 the job, he is a known commodity who has unique credentials. =

Before Brooks = joined the=20 Kings, his three seasons under George Karl in Denver had put = him on=20 the proverbial hot list of young coaches seemingly destined = to be a=20 head coach. Joe and Gavin Maloof cited Brooks' NBA playing=20 experience that included playing under seven head coaches, = and they=20 said they're enamored with his ability to overachieve as a = player=20 despite lacking the size and skills of most of his=20 colleagues.

The smallish Manteca native was cut by=20 Philadelphia as a rookie and played in the American = Basketball=20 Association before surviving 11 seasons in the NBA. He = played a key=20 role in a championship with Houston in 1994.

"I = don't like=20 that about him -- I love it," Joe Maloof said. "I look at = (Brooks), and I see a lot of = Gavin and I.=20 People have always underestimated our abilities throughout = our=20 lives, and we've overachieved. I see that in this guy." =

Said=20 Gavin Maloof: "How many guys told him he couldn't make the = team,=20 that he'd never play in the NBA? How many people told him=20 that?"

With their feelings clear, the decision is = clearly=20 Petrie's to make.

"Basically, Geoff has to be the = one who=20 makes this decision," Joe Maloof said. "But Gavin and I = interviewed=20 (Brooks), and we felt = very=20 comfortable with him and he had a great interview. He was = terrific.=20 We need to talk to Geoff before we decide on=20 anything."

Petrie said early Monday evening that he = would=20 talk with the Maloofs either later Monday night or today to = decide=20 what comes next. But beyond Brooks, there are no = interviews=20 scheduled with other candidates.

Just after 1 p.m., = Brooks, Petrie and Joe and = Gavin Maloof=20 sat in the same red room in the back of the 24/7 Cafe where = Los=20 Angeles Lakers assistant Kurt Rambis was interviewed June 3. = Brooks wore a light blue = collared shirt,=20 his suit jacket pulled off as they ate. A balloon floated = near Brooks that read = "Congratulations!" as a=20 high school graduation party -- and perhaps some = unintentional=20 fortunetelling -- was taking place.

At 2:38 p.m., = all four=20 men rose and shook hands. Petrie and Brooks headed for the airport, = and the=20 Maloofs went to the high limit lounge. Having gambled and = lost on=20 Van Gundy, they might be making a safer bet this time. =

"I=20 know that our people in the organization know him, and they = like him=20 a lot," Joe Maloof said. "He has the respect of everybody = within the=20 organization. Today was very positive."


The Bee's = Sam Amick can be reached at=20 samick@sacbee.com.
Graphic Text Scott = Brooks' NBA=20 playing experience and ability to overachieve made an = impression.
Keywords BIOGRAPHY

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