Add one more assist to Bill Laimbeer's career total.
The Minnesota Lynx hired former Detroit Shock assistant coach and general manager Cheryl Reeve as head coach Tuesday, thanks in part to a glowing recommendation from Laimbeer, who is an assistant with the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Laimbeer joined Kurt Rambis's staff on the Timberwolves this year after leading the Shock to three WNBA titles as head coach. And Laimbeer wasn't bashful about letting Lynx executive vice president Roger Griffith know Reeve was the woman for the job.
The Shock moved from Detroit to Oklahoma in the offseason, and Reeve said she may not have wanted to leave the team had that not happened. But here she is, ready for her first head coaching job in the professional ranks.
"I strongly believe the time is now," Reeve said. "Championship windows open and close quickly in this league."
The Lynx have not made the playoffs since 2004 and have only been to the postseason twice in 11 years as a franchise. They got off to a good start last season, but lost All-Star Seimone Augustus to a knee injury and finished 14-20.
Augustus will return this season and the Lynx have the first and third overall picks in the WNBA draft, as well as the second pick in the Sacramento Monarchs' dispersal draft, so there is ample opportunity for improvement.
"We don't have just one thing changing in our favor," Griffith said. "We have many things changing in our favor."
Reeve spent nine years with the Shock and has 21 years of coaching experience. She was the head coach of Indiana State from 1995-2000.
Griffith says Reeve's confidence and experience in a championship organization set her apart.
"She believes this is a team that can win today and win big," Griffith said.
Reeve takes over for Jennifer Gillom, who was abruptly promoted to head coach three days before the start of last season after Don Zierden left to become an assistant with the NBA's Washington Wizards.
Reeve said she learned a lot working with Laimbeer and expects a similar focus on defense and rebounding in her first head coaching gig. She is looking forward to have the last word for once, something that rarely happened around Laimbeer.
"Bill didn't listen to me as much as he should have," Reeve joked.
