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Dallas Wings Coach Brian Agler Praises Both Cavs & Pelicans For Hiring Swin Cash And Lindsay Gottlieb

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Last week it was announced that former WNBA 15 year-veteran Swin Cash would be hired as Vice President of Basketball Operations and Team Development by the New Orleans Pelicans.  Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations David Griffin made the announcement.

“We are beyond thrilled to welcome Swin Cash and her family to the New Orleans Pelicans,” said Griffin. “Her legendary experience as a player, champion and winner at every level, on and off the floor, represents everything we want this organization to be about. In addition to her background as an executive with the New York Liberty, Swin has a strong reputation as a thought leader in the area of player and human development and her work as a global NBA/WNBA ambassador speaks to her incredible relationships throughout the League family.”

“I am so excited to join the New Orleans Pelicans as Vice President of Basketball Operations/Team Development,” said Cash. “I want to extend my sincere gratitude to Mrs. Benson, David Griffin and the Pelicans organization for the opportunity to serve in a leadership role in the front office. I will use my experience as a professional athlete in the WNBA, Vice President of the WNBPA, businesswoman, and philanthropist, along with the knowledge I’ve gained as a front office executive, to cultivate the organization’s basketball culture on the court and in the community.”

Throughout her 15 years in the WNBA, Cash averaged 10.7 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 2.4 assists. She played for five different teams Detroit Shock, Seattle Storm, Chicago Sky, Atlanta Dream, and New York Liberty. She also won three championships (2003, 2006, 2010), four-time WNBA All-Star (2003, 2005, 2009, 2011) amongst her long list of achievements, which also includes two gold medals in (2004, 2012). Cash would call it a career after the conclusion of the 2016 WNBA season with the New York Liberty. In 2017, Cash was hired as the Director of Franchise Development with the Liberty.

Also last week it was announced that the Cleveland Cavaliers will be hiring former California Berkeley Women’s basketball coach Lindsay Gottlieb as an assistant coach and make her the first college coach to be hired to an NBA staff. Gottlieb joins the Cavaliers staff after spending eight seasons at Berkley and will be a part of former Michigan Men’s basketball coach John Beilein staff. During her time at Berkeley, Gottlieb accumulated a record of 179-89 record, which included a trip to the 2013 NCAA Final Four, after being hired in 2011.

“Lindsay Gottlieb will be a great addition to Coach Beilein’s and Coach Bickerstaff’s group. She has an extensive track record of success and growth with her teams and players and has also been a strong culture-driver as a core part of that,” said general manager Koby Altman in a statement. “The more we researched and got to know Lindsay, the more we came to understand that she would be an impactful part of where we want to go as a team. Coach Gottlieb brings a depth of basketball knowledge, leadership, perspective and approach to her craft that will fit very well with our team and staff alike.”

Current Dallas Wings coach Brian Agler, who coached Swin Cash in Seattle had shared his thoughts on both hires by the Cavaliers and the Pelicans.

“I think it is a tribute to the league to really support women and supporting them moving up in men’s side of the NBA. Both really good hires, both quality people, so they are going to represent those programs very well. I coached Swin and I know what kind of competitor she is. She is a winner and she is a prideful person, so she is going to take a lot of pride in her job. So, she is going to work to do the best she can to be the best at her position. There won’t be anyone better than Swin that is the kind of person she is and she is going to the same thing in the offices, that she did on the basketball court and I’m happy for her, I’m proud for her. She is a winner and that was a tremendous hire by the Pelicans.”

“Coach Gottlieb Ive known her a little bit, coached a couple of her players. She done a good job at Cal and it is nice to see women from the college ranks get pulled into the pressional ranks on the mens side. That is a very respect decision by the Cavaliers.”

What do you think?

Written by Landon Buford

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