Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: WEDNESDAY, May 16, 1990                   TAG: 9005160054
SECTION: SPORTS                    PAGE: B4   EDITION: STATE 
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: SEATTLE                                LENGTH: Medium

FORMER BOSTON COACH JONES TAKES REINS IN SEATTLE

The man who had been head coach of the Seattle SuperSonics for five seasons gave up the bench with a year left on his contract to become the team's vice president of basketball operations on Tuesday.

Replacing Bickerstaff, 46, will be his assistant and longtime friend K.C. Jones, who led the Boston Celtics to two NBA championships in five seasons.

Sonics President Bob Whitsitt said it was Bickerstaff's decision to step down as the team's coach, and his alone.

"Bernie and I have been talking about this position, on and off, for the last several years," Whitsitt said. "It's something that, at this time, Bernie decided was right for him. It took us both about eight seconds to decide that K.C. was the guy to take over Bernie's job."

Rumors of the move were widespread for the past week.

"I'm happy," Bickerstaff said. "This is the decision that I made. We've been talking about it for two years. We just didn't feel last year was the year to get this done. I'm gung-ho about the situation.

"I think it's a great opportunity for me to add to my resume. I know there will be some type of conjecture out there about being kicked upstairs. But I wish you all would have had the opportunity to have been kicked up this way."

Bickerstaff was hospitalized and forced to miss six games because of a bleeding peptic ulcer during the 1988-89 season. He did not miss any games during the 1989-90 season.

"My health is fine," Bickerstaff said with emphasis, "especially if I could get through the season that we've had this year without any repercussions. But I definitely want to ensure that I feel real good."

Jones said he didn't think he would return to coaching after stepping down as the head coach at Boston after the 1987-88 season to go into the Celtics' front office. But he said he found he missed coaching more than he expected.

"Basketball is a love," Jones said. "When I moved out of it to be player personnel director at Boston, I still missed it.

"I missed being involved with these fantastic players who have brought this league to the level that it is at this point. I love this game with a passion. I missed being on the bench."

The Sonics missed the playoffs with a 41-41 record this season to end a streak of three years in postseason play.

Jones withdrew his name from consideration for the Atlanta Hawks' coaching vacancy May 11, fueling speculation that he was in line to replace Bickerstaff.

Bickerstaff compiled a 202-208 record with the Sonics.

Jones coached Boston from 1983-84 through 1987-88, guiding the Celtics to NBA championships in 1984 and 1986. He has a 463-193 coaching record, a .706 percentage. His 79-54 playoff record ranks third behind Los Angeles Lakers coach Pat Riley and former Boston coach Red Auerbach.