Referring to John Whisenant as the former coach/general manager of the Monarchs still seems weird, but since Sacramento's WNBA franchise no longer exists - officially, as of Tuesday - I guess we all have to make the adjustment. Whiz, who proved to be a terrific coach, turning the skeptical team captain Yolanda Griffith into a true believer with his quiet strength, defensive acumen and calm, yet forceful sideline demeanor, doesn't need the money, but he would probably like some work. Given his uneasy relationship with Kings president Geoff Petrie, however, I can't see him becoming part of basketball operations. The Maloofs have tremendous affection for Whisenant, who is a family friend dating back to their ownership of the Houston Rockets in the early 1980s. But contrary to what a lot of people believe, they defer to Petrie, rarely injecting themselves into basketball decisions. Which means .... even though Whiz would probably love to live in Albuquerque and work as a regional scout, it is probably not going to happen.
News, observations and reader questions about the Sacramento Kings and the NBA.
December 8, 2009
