By Peter May, Globe Staff
2/25/2001
The Maryland Mustangs of the United States Basketball League will open their inaugural season this spring with Robert Parish as head coach. It will be the first coaching assignment of any kind for the Chief, who once said he could never see himself in such a position. ( Larry Bird said the same thing.)
New Head man of the Mustangs Robert Parish
Was Dreher at all concerned about some of the unsavory episodes in Parish's
past? ''A lot of people make mistakes at some point in their life,'' he said.
Parish will have former NBA player Harvey Grant as
one assistant, and a second assistant, Terry Truax, will be able to guide
the Chief along, having coached for years in the college ranks. In other words,
the Mustangs don't seem concerned about Parish's lack of experience or stolid
demeanor.
''Some people questioned whether Robert talks enough,'' said Dreher. ''That can be seen as an enjoyable thing. There are a lot of coaches who talk too much. Robert has something to say, he says it.''
One final observation: Some things never change. On the Mustangs'
Web site, the coach of their new team has his last name spelled P-A-R-R-I-S-H.
Robert Parish, one of the NBA's 50 greatest players, will be introduced today as coach of the Maryland expansion franchise in the United States Basketball League.
The team, which will also reveal its nickname today, will play home games at Show Place Arena in Upper Marlboro. The season begins in April.
Parish will have an assistant familiar to many area fans -- Harvey Grant, who played seven of his 11 years in the NBA with the Washington Bullets/Wizards.
Parish, who has never coached at the professional level, holds the NBA record for seasons played with 21 (1976-97). Nicknamed "The Chief," Parish helped lead the Boston Celtics to three NBA titles in the 1980s. His playing career also included stops in Golden State, Charlotte and Chicago -- Parish won a fourth NBA title in his final season with the Bulls.
Parish, the sixth pick in the 1976 NBA draft, is sixth in league history in rebounding (14,715) and 15th in scoring (23,334).
In addition to Washington, Grant, also a coaching rookie, spent time with Portland and Philadelphia. He lives in Prince George's County.
Parish and Grant said the team will emphasize fundamentals, defense and the importance of being a professional on and off the court.
"There will be a lot of teaching," Parish said. "I think it's very important to convey to the young players the importance of fundamentals like passing, footwork and boxing out. We'll [teach] about playing together and being professional because there's more to being a professional than putting on a uniform."
Grant also wants a defense-oriented team, but knows it will take some time.
"This is something I've been wanting to get into for the last three or four years," Grant said. "I think this is a great opportunity to get my feet wet, and I'm looking forward to it."
Terry Truax, the former Towson University coach, rounds out the coaching staff.
Team owner and president Brett Vickers said he was thrilled to get Parish and Grant to work with his young players. The team will hold tryouts next month.
