Philadelphia, PA (My Sportsbook) - The Philadelphia 76ers have reportedly hired Jim O'Brien as the club's new head coach. According to the Philadelphia Inquirer, O'Brien will be introduced at a Wednesday afternoon press conference. He replaces Chris Ford, who assumed the head coaching duties of the 76ers on an interim basis after Randy Ayers was fired in February. Philadelphia ended the 2003-04 season with a 33-49 record, including a 12-18 mark under Ford. The 76ers missed the playoffs for the first time since the 1997-98 campaign. The 52-year-old O'Brien resigned as coach of the Celtics in late January after several conflicts with Danny Ainge, the team's director of basketball operations. O'Brien took over for Rick Pitino on January 8, 2001 and compiled an overall mark of 139-119 with the Celtics. Boston finished the 2002-03 season at 44-38 and was swept by the Nets in the second round of the playoffs. The previous campaign, O'Brien guided the Celtics to the Eastern Conference finals where they fell to New Jersey. In the collegiate ranks, O'Brien served as the head coach at the University of Dayton from 1989-94 and led the Flyers to the MCC Tournament championship in his first season at the school. Prior to coaching at Dayton, O'Brien also served as an assistant to Pitino with the NBA's New York Knicks. As a player, O'Brien was a three-year starter at Saint Joseph's University and led the team to an NIT appearance in 1972 and NCAA Tournament berths in 1973 and '74. He was selected to the Saint Joseph's Hall of Fame in 1988 and the Big Five Hall of Fame in 1981. |
