The social media world reacted with shock after Golden State Warriors assistant coach Kenny Atkinson told the Charlotte Hornets that he would not become the team’s head coach as was previously reported.
Atkinson will remain with the Warriors as an assistant as they celebrate the 2022 NBA Finals victory and look to defend their title.
Monte Poole, NBC Sports Bay Area columnist, tweeted that Atkinson spent the week dealing with “mixed emotions about leaving the Warriors” for Charlotte. He said that Atkinson “listened to his heart. And his family.”
Kenny Atkinson spent this week coping with mixed emotions about leaving the Warriors to become head coach of the Hornets. In the end, he listened to his heart. And his family.
— Monte Poole (@MontePooleNBCS) June 18, 2022
The decision prompted scorn from Hornets fans, including James Plowright, the site content manager for Sports Illustrated’s FanNation Hornets’ site. He called Atkinson’s decision “unprofessional” and said he embarrassed the Hornets.
“No problem with him not accepting the job but do it from the off, left Charlotte in the most difficult of positions now. Expect [Mike] D’Antoni to be named shortly,” he said.
In total shock, as is the front office of the team. Pretty unprofessional from Atkinson to embarrass Charlotte like this. No problem with him not accepting the job but do it from the off, left Charlotte in the most difficult of positions now. Expect D’Antoni to be named shortly https://t.co/0EQaAmTFtf
— James Plowright (@British_Buzz) June 18, 2022
Longtime NBA reporter Marc Stein also linked Charlotte and D’Antoni, calling him the team’s “previous runner-up” in the coaching search.
This does NOT happen every day in NBA coaching. Now to see if Michael Jordan’s Hornets revert to the previous runner-up in its search: Mike D’Antoni. https://t.co/UE667NatHt
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) June 18, 2022
Dieter Kurtenbach, sports columnist for the Bay Area News Group, said that “there’s no luxury tax on assistant coaches” before tweeting in a reply that “Kenny agreed to take the Hornets job. Then they started talking scratch.”
Mike Brown was doing so well as the Warriors top assistant he was turning down top jobs left and right.
I was stunned when he took the Kings job because it means Sacramento ponied up.
Kenny agreed to take the Hornets job. Then they started talking scratch…
— Dieter Kurtenbach (@dieter) June 18, 2022
The Athletic’s senior NBA columnist and former Memphis Grizzlies VP John Hollinger wondered if the move could indicate a future Warriors head coaching position for Atkinson after current head coach Steve Kerr retired.
In all seriousness, re: Atkinson, now everyone is gonna wonder if there is a Krzyzewski-Scheyer type of deal in place here.
— John Hollinger (@johnhollinger) June 18, 2022