HOUSTON, Texas (AFP) – Yao Ming would be welcomed back to the Houston Rockets if the Chinese giant is able to continue his NBA career after his latest injury rehabilitation, new Rockets coach Kevin McHale said Friday.

In his first public comments since signing with the team, McHale said he hopes the 2.26m center is able to return.

“We would all be really happy if Yao comes back to play and I hope he can,” McHale said. “He will give it his best shot. His body is going to dictate if he can come back and play. That’s all going to be laid out in the future.”

Yao played in only five games last season and underwent surgery in January for a stress fracture in his left ankle, the latest in a series of injury setbacks that have haunted him in recent seasons.

With perennial All-Star Yao only playing a limited role, the Rockets have missed the playoffs in the past two seasons.

Yao’s contract expires with the conclusion of the season but Rockets owner Leslie Alexander has said he would like to have Yao back if Yao is able to continue his NBA career.

“Who wouldn’t like Yao Ming — a big guy who can really make shots, just a huge force in the middle?” Mchale said.

“That’s out of my control. We’ll see where that goes.”

Yao said two weeks ago that he wants to play for the Rockets but is uncertain he will play again at all because of his injuries and will likely not know his status until at least another couple of months.

“I would like to be here. Nowhere else is better than Houston for me right now,” Yao said. “The only issue is my injury. We will know more in August or September.”

McHale, 53, replaced Rick Adelman, who was not brought back after guiding the Rockets for the past four seasons.

McHale won three NBA titles in the 1980s during a 13-year career as a center for the Boston Celtics and has been an executive for the Minnesota Timberwolves over 16 seasons, twice serving in temporary part-season stints as a coach.

“They have pieces in place here that are very good pieces that can be part of a championship-type team,” McHale said. “Our goal is to make the playoffs next year. That’s just what it is and that’s going to fall on me to do it.”

HOUSTON — Houston Rockets owner Leslie Alexander officially introduced Kevin McHale as the team’s new coach on Friday.

Alexander says he has found a “leader of men” and the “perfect fit” in the former Boston Celtics great.

The 53-year-old McHale replaces Rick Adelman, who parted ways with the team after four seasons. The Rockets have missed the playoffs the past two seasons.

McHale was working as a television analyst. He says he missed the competition and set a playoff berth as an immediate goal.

A seven-time all-star, McHale helped Boston win three NBA championships during a 13-year playing career. McHale then worked 16 seasons as an executive with the Minnesota Timberwolves, including two stints as interim head coach.

HOUSTON (AP) — Houston Rockets owner Leslie Alexander officially introduced Kevin McHale as the team’s new coach on Friday.

Alexander says he has found a “leader of men” and the “perfect fit” in the former Boston Celtics great.

The 53-year-old McHale replaces Rick Adelman, who parted ways with the team after four seasons. The Rockets have missed the playoffs the past two seasons.

McHale was working as a television analyst. He says he missed the competition and set a playoff berth as an immediate goal.

A seven-time All-Star, McHale helped Boston win three NBA championships during a 13-year playing career. McHale then worked 16 seasons as an executive with the Minnesota Timberwolves, including two stints as interim head coach.

HOUSTON – Houston Rockets owner Leslie Alexander officially introduced Kevin McHale as the team’s new coach on Friday.

Alexander says he has found a “leader of men” and the “perfect fit” in the former Boston Celtics great.

The 53-year-old McHale replaces Rick Adelman, who parted ways with the team after four seasons. The Rockets have missed the playoffs the past two seasons.

McHale was working as a television analyst. He says he missed the competition and set a playoff berth as an immediate goal.

A seven-time All-Star, McHale helped Boston win three NBA championships during a 13-year playing career. McHale then worked 16 seasons as an executive with the Minnesota Timberwolves, including two stints as interim head coach.

POSTED: Friday, June 3, 2011

UPDATED: 10:51 am CDT June 3, 2011

Updated Jun 1, 2011 7:06 PM ET

HOUSTON (AP)

Kevin McHale is a Hall of Fame player who won three NBA championships with Boston, a longtime former executive for Minnesota and twice a fill-in coach for the Timberwolves.

Now the 53-year-old will take on a new challenge: coaching the Houston Rockets full time.

 

Looking for the latest on the Rockets? Get the inside slant, stats, scores, schedules and more scoops right here.

 

McHale was hired to lead the Rockets on Wednesday, where he will begin a season as an NBA coach for the first time in his career.

After several days of speculation and reports that he was taking the job, the Rockets made it official that McHale will take over for Rick Adelman, who left the team days after his fourth season in Houston.

McHale spent 15 years with the Timberwolves in his native Minnesota. He was let go in 2009 and has recently served as a TV analyst.

He will be introduced at a news conference in Houston on Friday.

McHale becomes Houston’s third coach since 2003, when Rudy Tomjanovich stepped down for health reasons. Jeff Van Gundy coached the team from 2003-07, taking the Rockets to three playoff appearances.

McHale returns to coaching for the first time since posting a 20-43 record with the Timberwolves in the 2008-09 season, when he took over after Randy Wittman was fired. McHale also led Minnesota for the last 31 games of the 2004-05 season after he fired Flip Saunders, but he has never coached a full NBA season.

”As we explored the opportunity to come to Houston, it felt like the right situation for me,” McHale said in a statement. ”I enjoy the competitive nature of our game and I am looking forward to getting to work with the very talented roster of players that are already in place here in Houston.”

Rockets owner Leslie Alexander believes McHale’s impressive basketball pedigree will lead to success in Houston despite his limited coaching experience.

”Kevin McHale is a proven NBA champion (with the Boston Celtics) who has the leadership skills and basketball knowledge necessary to guide our team into the future,” Alexander said. ”Kevin’s hard-nosed work ethic and tenacity on the court led him to a Hall of Fame career and a legacy as one of the NBA’s greatest low-post players of all time. I’m looking forward to seeing Kevin share his unique basketball knowledge and experience.”

Houston has failed to reach the playoffs the last two years as it dealt with injuries that have limited All-Star center Yao Ming to just five games since the 2008-09 season. In Yao’s last healthy season, Houston reached the Western Conference semifinals, breaking a streak of seven consecutive first-round exits for the franchise.

The Rockets went 43-39 this season as one of the league’s highest-scoring teams, averaging 105.9 points per game.

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Yao’s contract expires this summer, but he has said he hopes to continue playing for the Rockets when he recovers from the stress fracture to his left ankle.

McHale first joined the Timberwolves as a TV analyst and special assistant before he was promoted to assistant general manager in August 1994. He was promoted to vice president of basketball operations in 1995 and drafted Kevin Garnett with the fifth overall pick that year.

The Wolves went on a run of seven straight playoff appearances from 1997-2004 and reached the Western Conference finals in ’04.

The highlight of McHale’s time as an executive in Minnesota was drafting Garnett. Subsequent moves and draft picks didn’t turn out as well and he became increasingly unpopular with fans.

McHale was the third overall pick in the 1980 draft, won three championships with the Celtics and was chosen in 1996 as one of the 50 greatest NBA players.

He was a seven-time All-Star in his 13 seasons with the Celtics. He won the NBA’s Sixth Man award twice and averaged 17.9 points and 7.3 rebounds for his career. He was even better in the playoffs where he averaged 18.8 points and 7.4 rebounds in 169 career games.

McHale was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1999.

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HOUSTON, June 1 (UPI) — The Houston Rockets Wednesday named Kevin McHale as their new head coach, replacing the fired Rick Adelman.

McHale, 53, a Hall of Fame player with the Boston Celtics in the 1980s, previously coached the Minnesota Timberwolves in two stints totaling 94 games and worked in the team’s front office from 1993-2009.

Adelman, who coached the Rockets for four seasons, was let go after the team finished the 2010-11 season with a 43-39 record and missed the playoffs for a second consecutive year.

“As we explored the opportunity to come to Houston, it felt like the right situation for me,” McHale said. “I enjoy the competitive nature of our game and I am looking forward to getting to work with the very talented roster of players that are already in place here in Houston.”

Rockets owner Leslie Alexander cited McHale’s success as a player with the Celtics, with whom he won three NBA championships and was selected as an all-star seven times over a 13-year career.

“Kevin’s hard-nosed work ethic and tenacity on the court led him to a Hall of Fame career and a legacy as one of the NBA’s greatest low post players of all time,” Alexander said.

HOUSTON — Kevin McHale has been hired to coach the Houston Rockets.

The Rockets made it official today that McHale will take over for Rick Adelman, who left the team days after his fourth season in Houston.

McHale spent 15 years with the Timberwolves in his native Minnesota. The Hall of Famer was let go in 2009 and has recently served as a TV analyst. Reports last Friday said he was taking the job.

He will be introduced at a news conference in Houston on Friday.

The 53-year-old McHale becomes Houston’s third coach since 2003, when Rudy Tomjanovich stepped down for health reasons. Jeff Van Gundy coached the team from 2003-07, taking the Rockets to three playoff appearances.

“As we explored the opportunity to come to Houston, it felt like the right situation for me,” McHale said in a statement. “I enjoy the competitive nature of our game and I am looking forward to getting to work with the very talented roster of players that are already in place here in Houston.”

He will return to coaching for the first time since posting a 20-43 record with the Timberwolves in the 2008-09 season, when he took over after Randy Wittman was fired. McHale also led Minnesota for the last 31 games of the 2004-2005 season after he fired Flip Saunders, but he has never coached a full NBA season.

Rockets owner Leslie Alexander believes McHale’s impressive basketball pedigree will lead to success in Houston despite his limited coaching experience.

“Kevin McHale is a proven NBA champion (with the Boston Celtics [team stats]) who has the leadership skills and basketball knowledge necessary to guide our team into the future,” Alexander said. “Kevin’s hard-nosed work ethic and tenacity on the court led him to a Hall of Fame career and a legacy as one of the NBA’s greatest low-post players of all time. I’m looking forward to seeing Kevin share his unique basketball knowledge and experience.”

Houston has failed to reach the playoffs the last two years as it dealt with injuries that have limited All-Star center Yao Ming to just five games since the 2008-09 season. In Yao’s last healthy season, Houston reached the Western Conference semifinals, breaking a streak of seven consecutive first-round exits for the franchise.

The Rockets went 43-39 this season as one of the league’s highest-scoring teams, averaging 105.9 points per game.

Yao’s contract expires this summer, but he has said he hopes to continue playing for the Rockets when he recovers from the stress fracture to his left ankle.

McHale first joined the Timberwolves as a TV analyst and special assistant before he was promoted to assistant general manager in August 1994. He was promoted to vice president of basketball operations in 1995 and drafted Kevin Garnett with the fifth overall pick that year.

The Wolves soon began a run of seven straight playoff appearances from 1997-2004 and reached the Western Conference finals in 2004.

The highlight of McHale’s time as an executive in Minnesota was drafting Garnett. Subsequent moves and draft picks didn’t turn out as well and he became increasingly unpopular with fans.

McHale was the third overall pick in the 1980 draft, won three championships with the Celtics and was chosen in 1996 as one of the 50 greatest NBA players.

HOUSTON – A person familiar with the situation says the Houston Rockets are close to hiring Kevin McHale as their new coach.

The person says the team is negotiating a contract with McHale. The person spoke Friday on condition of anonymity because the deal is not yet complete.

McHale would take over for Rick Adelman, who left the team days after his fourth season in Houston.

McHale, a Hall of Fame player for the Boston Celtics, spent 15 years with the Timberwolves in his native Minnesota. He was let go in 2009 and has recently served as a TV analyst.

The 53-year-old McHale would become Houston’s third coach since 2003, when Rudy Tomjanovich stepped down for health reasons. Jeff Van Gundy coached the team from 2003-07, taking the Rockets to three playoff appearances.

Houston has missed the playoffs the last two years as it dealt with injuries that have limited All-Star center Yao Ming to just five games since the 2008-09 season. That year, Houston reached the Western Conference semifinals, breaking a streak of seven consecutive first-round exits for the franchise.

Yao’s contract expires this summer, but he has said he hopes to continue playing for the Rockets when he recovers from the stress fracture to his left ankle.

McHale’s time as an executive in Minnesota was highlighted by drafting Kevin Garnett out of high school in 1995. Other moves and draft decisions didn’t go over as well with fans and he began to draw criticism.

McHale’s first coaching experience came when he took over the Wolves for the last 31 games of the 2005 season after he fired Flip Saunders. He went back to the front office after that before returning to the position in 2008 after Randy Wittman was fired.

He went 20-43 after taking over that season before the Timberwolves let him go.

McHale was the third overall pick in the 1980 draft, won three championships with the Celtics and was named one of the 50 greatest NBA players of all time in 1996.

Mark Berman
KRIV-TV

HOUSTON — NBA legend and former Minnesota Timberwolves coach Kevin McHale has agreed to become the head coach of the Houston Rockets, NBA sources told FOX 26 Sports, replacing Rick Adelman, who parted ways with the team last month.

McHale has agreed in principle to a three-year contract, plus an option for a fourth year, League sources told FOX 26.

The deal will not be finalized until McHale and the Rockets complete his staff, which likely will include Chris Finch, head coach of the Rockets’ NBA development team, the Rio Grande Valley Vipers.

McHale was chosen over two other finalists, Dallas Mavericks assistant Dwane Casey and Boston Celtics assistant Lawrence Frank.

McHale was the Timberwolves’ vice president of basket operations from 1995 until midway through the 2005 season, when he took over as Minnesota’s head coach after Flip Saunders was fired.

After going 19-12 the rest of the 2005 season, McHale returned to the Timberwolves front office, only to coach the team again during the 2008-09 season.

His overall record during his two stints with Minnesota is 39-55.

McHale did not return to the Timberwolves organization after the 2008-09 season and is a television analyst with Turner Sports and NBA TV.

As a player he was a seven-time All-Star with the Boston Celtics, where he won three NBA championships

McHale was elected into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1999.

POSTED: Friday, May 27, 2011

UPDATED: 1:28 pm CDT May 27, 2011

Read More: Houston Rockets

Kevin McHale has been hired as the Houston Rockets’ new head coach, according to Yahoo!’s Adrian Wojnarowski. News broke Thursday that, after three interviews with the former general manager of the Minnesota Timberwolves, the Rockets offered McHale the job. Richard Justice of the Houston Chronicle has reported that the deal will go three seasons with a team option on the fourth year. Justice said the final item to hammer out was direction over the rest of the coaching staff.

McHale met with Rockets owner Leslie Alexander this week after interviewing twice with general manager Daryl Morey. The fit is an interesting one; Morey is the face of the advanced metric vanguard, and McHale is seen as an old-school basketball type who relies more on eyes than spreadsheets. McHale served as the general manager of the Wolves for more than a decade after his Hall-of-Fame career with the Boston Celtics ended. Under McHale’s watch, Minnesota drafted Kevin Garnett and made a string of postseason appearances. But the Wolves made it so far as the conference finals just once, in 2004.

Wojnarowski reports that the Rockets will have strong input into McHale’s staff, with D-League coach Chris Finch — who runs the Rockets-affiliated Rio Grande Valley Vipers and Great Britain’s senior men’s national team — expected to move into a spot on the Houston bench.

For more on the Rockets, visit The Dream Shake and SB Nation Houston.

HOUSTON — Sources out of Houston say former Minnesota Timberwolves GM and head coach Kevin McHale has been offered the head coaching job of the NBA’s Houston Rockets.

Those sources say McHale is in serious contract talks with the club to see if they can strike a deal.

MSNBC says the story was confirmed by Rockets’ beat writer Jonathan Feigen, who maintains there’s no guarantee terms will be reached with McHale, but that sources believe both sides are determined to make it happen.

McHale was apparently chosen over Boston assistant Lawrence Frank and Dallas assistant Dwane Casey, both of whom interviewed with Rockets owner Leslie Alexander on Wednesday.

Following a Hall-of-Fame career with the Boston Celtics, McHale moved to the Timberwolves front office where he ran on-court operations for the franchise. Despite being hesitant to work on the bench, he finished the 2004-05 season as interim coach after firing close friend Flip Saunders.

McHale went 19-12 that season, but expressed his unwillingness to pursue a coaching career.

“The chances of me doing this long term are slim to none,” McHale said in an interview with Sports Illustrated in 2005. “I just don‚t think I’m cut out to be a career coach.”

But in 2008-09 Timberwolves owner instructed him to return to the bench. McHale went just 20-43 that season but seemed to warm to the idea of coaching.  

(Copyright 2011 by KARE. All Rights Reserved.)

Read More: Houston Rockets

Kevin McHale has been offered the Houston Rockets’ head coach job, according to Yahoo!’s Adrian Wojnarowski. Houston Chronicle beat writer Jonathan Feigen has confirmed the story.

McHale, the Boston Celtics’ legendary power forward and a longtime general manager for the Minnesota Timberwolves, has worked for Turner Sports for the past two years on NBA TV and TNT broadcasts. He has some pro head coaching experience, having twice stepped into the hot seat with the Timberwolves, after firing Flip Saunders in 2005 and Randy Wittman in 2009. Under McHale as coach, the Wolves went 39-55. In each case, the Wolves’ performance improved under McHale.

Woj reports that while nothing is final, McHale and the Rockets want to get a deal done. Houston let Rick Adelman’s contract expire at the end of the season. Reports suggested the Rockets wanted Adelman to agree to groom a successor if re-signed; Adelman declined.

Dwane Casey, a coach McHale hired and fired in Minnesota, and Lawrence Frank were considered finalists for the job with McHale. Casey is an assistant coach for the NBA Finals-bound Dallas Mavericks. Frank is the top assistant for the Boston Celtics.

For more on the Rockets, visit The Dream Shake and SB Nation Houston.