Gaines named new coach of champion Mercury

The WNBA has announced that hoops veteran Corey Gaines is the new head coach of the champion Phoenix Mercury.

Gaines has quite a resume, having played in the NBA with five different teams, and also in overseas pro ball. He was a player/assistant coach with the ABA’s Long Beach Jam in 2003, and has served as the Mercury’s lead assistant coach for the past two years, including the season just completed, which saw Phoenix win the league championship.

The Mercury posted some impressive numbers under Gaines and head coach Paul Westhead the past two years. Phoenix set WNBA records for scoring average in both 2006 (87.1 points) and ‘07 (89.0). In this year’s postseason, the team averaged 95.8 points per playoff game on the way to winning the Mercury’s first world championship, and also won a franchise-record 23 games this year.

Gaines is aware of the daunting task that lies ahead in taking over the reins of a champion. “I have enjoyed my time with this team and am ready for the challenge this presents,” he said. “I am ready to get started defending the title we worked so hard to earn last season.”

In other WNBA news, Dennis Rodman may be interested in coaching in the league, but it seems Atlanta isn’t interested in him.

The flamboyant ex-NBA star, known as much for his off-court antics such as dressing in drag, including showing up at a book signing wearing a wedding dress, has recently expressed interest in coaching in the women’s league. He went on the record, telling the Atlanta Journal-Constitution of his wishes. A new WNBA team will begin play in that southern city next year. “I love the city of Atlanta. Atlanta would be the ideal situation for me, starting from scratch,” Rodman said.

However, the owner of that new franchise, Ron Terwilliger, has also gone on the record as saying he’s looking for someone with more experience. Coaching experience, that is, not experience in merely drawing attention.

“My own view is that I don’t think he’s currently qualified to be a head coach,” Terwilliger said of the mercurial Rodman. “We need someone who knows the league, knows how it works, knows the players and knows the college talent coming up.”

He added, “And we’d prefer to have a women’s coach since it’s a women’s league.”

Translation: If his coach is going to wear makeup, Terwilliger would rather she be a woman.