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.

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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 (AP) — Kevin McHale has been hired to coach the Houston Rockets.

The Rockets made it official Wednesday 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) 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.

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.

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
– Kevin McHale has been hired to coach the Houston Rockets.

The Rockets made it official Wednesday 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) 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.

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.

MIAMI (AFP) – Former Boston Celtics great Kevin McHale said he has agreed to coach the Houston Rockets, taking over from Rick Adelman.

“I was a little uncertain whether I was going to jump in with both feet — I wanted it to be the right situation — but after spending time with them, I felt this is a good situation to get involved in,” McHale told NBA.com prior to game one of the NBA finals.

McHale’s name had been linked with the Rockets last week. They reportedly made him an offer on Friday after a month-long search to replace Adelman, who was not retained after a 43-39 season that did not include a playoff berth.

If 2.26-metre Chinese star center Yao Ming, who missed all but five games last season with a broken foot, is able to return to the NBA and the Rockets, he will have a former NBA star big man as his new coach.

McHale, 53, spent 13 seasons with the Celtics and together with NBA legend Larry Bird helped them capture three NBA titles in the 1980s. He was twice named the NBA Sixth Man of the Year as top reserve and averaged 17.9 points and 7.3 rebounds for his career.

Off the court, McHale takes over a club at the start of the season for the first time after two interim coaching stints with Minnesota.

McHale went 19-12 as an interim coach at the end of the 2004-2005 season after the Timberwolves fired Flip Saunders.

During the 2008-2009 campaign, the T-Wolves ownership asked him to return to a coaching job and he went 20-43 but was removed from the job after the season.

It’s official: Hall of Famer Kevin McHale is headed to Houston.

Confirming numerous reports over the past couple days, McHale said Tuesday night he has agreed to become the Rockets’ next coach. The former Boston Celtics great takes over for Rick Adelman, who left the team days after his fourth season in Houston ended.

“I was a little uncertain whether I was going to jump in with both feet — I wanted it to be the right situation — but after spending time with them, I felt this is a good situation to get involved in,” McHale told NBA.com before Game 1 of the NBA finals.

McHale’s first coaching experience came when he took over the Timberwolves for the last 31 games of the 2005 season after he fired Flip Saunders. The longtime Minnesota executive went back to the front office after that, then returned to coach in 2008 after Randy Wittman was fired.

McHale, 53, went 20-43 after taking over that season before the Timberwolves let him go. He had been working as a TV analyst.

“Kevin’s experiences as a player, coach and general manager, coupled with his tremendous knowledge of the game and players, made him a terrific analyst for NBA TV and TNT,” Turner Sports President David Levy said in a release. “Our audience will miss his diverse perspective and terrific sense of humour. We wish Kevin the best of luck in his new role as head coach of the Houston Rockets.”

Houston has missed the playoffs the last two years as it dealt with injuries that have limited all-star centre Yao Ming to just five games since 2008-09. That season 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 was the third overall pick in the 1980 draft, won three championships with the Celtics and was honoured as one of the 50 greatest NBA players of all time in 1996.

HOUSTON —
It’s official: Hall of Famer Kevin McHale is headed to Houston.

Confirming numerous reports over the past couple days, McHale said Tuesday night he has agreed to become the Rockets’ next coach. The former Boston Celtics great takes over for Rick Adelman, who left the team days after his fourth season in Houston ended. “I was a little uncertain whether I was going to jump in with both feet — I wanted it to be the right situation — but after spending time with them, I felt this is a good situation to get involved in,” McHale told NBA.com before Game 1 of the NBA finals. McHale’s first coaching experience came when he took over the Timberwolves for the last 31 games of the 2005 season after he fired Flip Saunders. The longtime Minnesota executive went back to the front office after that, then returned to coach in 2008 after Randy Wittman was fired. McHale, 53, went 20-43 after taking over that season before the Timberwolves let him go. He had been working as a TV analyst. “Kevin’s experiences as a player, coach and general manager, coupled with his tremendous knowledge of the game and players, made him a terrific analyst for NBA TV and TNT,” Turner Sports President David Levy said in a release. “Our audience will miss his diverse perspective and terrific sense of humor. We wish Kevin the best of luck in his new role as head coach of the Houston Rockets.” 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 2008-09. That season 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 was the third overall pick in the 1980 draft, won three championships with the Celtics and was honored as one of the 50 greatest NBA players of all time in 1996.

(Copyright ©2011 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

Kevin McHale has agreed to become the next coach of the Houston Rockets.

McHale’s hire was originally reported on Friday. The TNT analyst confirmed that he had agreed to take the position on NBA TV’s pregame show before Game 1 of the NBA Finals.

“Doing the TV has been fantastic,” McHale told NBA.com Tuesday. “But this was a chance. It came up, I talked to them. I was a little uncertain whether I was going to jump in with both feet — I wanted it to be the right situation — but after spending time with them, I felt this is a good situation to get involved in.”

According to NBA.com, McHale will sign a three-year contract with an option for a fourth year. The former Boston Celtics star expects to be introduced as coach Friday in Houston, the website said.

McHale, formerly the Minnesota Timberwolves’ general manager, was 39-55 in two stints as the Wolves’ interim coach. He was 19-12 after taking over for Flip Saunders in the 2004-05 season and posted a 20-43 mark after replacing Randy Wittman for the final 63 games in the 2008-09 season.

“I had really wanted to coach again,” McHale told NBA.com. “You miss the competition when you’re away from it. That’s what I missed the last couple of years. I’ve done it my whole life.

“From a coaching standpoint, you have a lot more [impact] on the outcome of the game than when you’re GM-ing. My last stint with the guys in Minnesota, I really enjoyed myself with them. It was a younger team and I had a lot of fun doing it.”

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.

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 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.

Information from The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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.

The Houston Rockets are in the final stages of deciding on a head coach, with all three candidates having received two interviews for the job of replacing Rick Adelman.

“The next step is to make a decision,” a person with knowledge of the process told CBSSports.com Thursday.

Former Timberwolves coach and general manager Kevin McHale met with owner Leslie Alexander Wednesday in Miami, where McHale was broadcasting the Eastern Conference finals for TNT. Former Nets coach Lawrence Frank and Mavericks assistant Dwane Casey also have been interviewed twice.

Sources familiar with the process have been told that Frank has been losing ground in the three-man race, but that no clear favorite has emerged. The Rockets have not extended an offer or engaged in contract negotiations with any of the candidates, sources said.

While McHale’s candidacy has been bolstered by a strong recommendation from former Celtics teammate and current Boston president Danny Ainge, sources said Casey is on firm ground by virtue of the fact that he is the only candidate still coaching in the playoffs. Another person with direct knowledge of the interview process said all three candidates have presented compelling visions for the team, but not all aspects of the candidates’ strategies are on the same page with Houston management.

Meanwhile, Warriors management – bolstered by the addition of Hall of Fame consultant Jerry West – remains focused on a list of five remaining candidates the team has spoken with about its head coaching vacancy: Lakers assistants Brian Shaw and Chuck Person; Hornets assistant Michael Malone; ABC/ESPN broadcaster Mark Jackson; and Frank. The team also had spoken with former Cavs coach Mike Brown, who was hired Wednesday to replace Phil Jackson as coach of the Lakers.

A person familiar with the Golden State search said “one or two” other candidates could emerge for the Golden State job as a result of “musical chairs” with other jobs. One example of that could be Shaw, who may not want to remain with the Lakers after being passed over for the head coaching vacancy he had long hoped to fill once Jackson finally retired.

Another could be McHale, who is not known to have spoken with Warriors officials but whose candidacy is expected to be strengthened by owner Joe Lacob’s connection to the Celtics. As a former member of the Celtics’ ownership group, Lacob is open to advice from Ainge and Celtics owner Wyc Grousbeck, who are solidly backing McHale for a head coaching position. Sources in the coaching industry expect McHale to emerge as a candidate in Golden State depending on how his bid for the Houston job turns out.

In other NBA front office news, the Raptors are assembling a list of candidates to work alongside assistant general manager Marc Eversley under team president Bryan Colangelo. Toronto is believed to be seeking someone with international scouting experience to replace Maurizio Gherardini, whose contract expires June 30.