DELL-MONTY…HORNETS NEW ”BRAND”
October 11, 2010

The best pairing of Dell and Monty since the formation of the California food distributor of the same name in the late 1800s is off and running as the New Orleans Hornets new front office brain trust.

General Manager Dell Demps and first year head coach Monty Williams hit the ground running this summer with a flurry of activity ranging from reconstructing the Hornets basketball operations staff to building an improved roster around all stars Chris Paul and David West.

Both Demps and Williams are getting their first shot at running a team and they’ve already answered several key questions with their offseason moves. The four-team trade executed on August 11th that netted starting small forward Trevor Ariza bolstered the starting five without costing the Hornets a starter. Acquiring a third offensive option, an athletic defender, and a player who fit Chris Paul’s fast breaking style was crucial. The second major move sent small forward Julian Wright North of the boarder for sharpshooter Marco Belinelli. Just prior to the start of their first training camp together the front office duo connected on another trade that sent veteran forward Darius Songaila and draft pick Craig Brackins to Philadelphia for guard Willie Green and forward/center Jason Smith. Among the new assistants brought in to complement Williams’ staff is veteran Randy Ayers, who has been a head coach in both college and the NBA.

DELL/MONTY BRANDING

2009-2010		2010-2011
BYRON SCOTT/JEFF BOWER	HEAD COACH	MONTY WILLIAMS
PAUL PRESSEY/CHARLIE PARKER/ ROB WERDANN/ROBERT PACK	ASST. COACHES	MIKE MALONE/RANDY AYERS/ JAMES BORREGO/BRYAN GATES/FRED VINSON
BRIAN HAGAN*	ASST. GM V.P. PERSONNEL	TIM CONNELY GERALD MADKINS
KIP BASS/KELLY BASS	SCOUTS	DAVID BOOTH/JOHN CARIDEO/TERRENCE 'DOC' MARTIN
IRV ROLAND	VIDEO COORDINATOR	ADAM TATALOVICH
TERRY KOFLER	TRAINER	JON ISHOP**
DARREN COLLISON/JAMES POSEY	KEY TRADE #1	TREVOR ARIZA
JULIAN WRIGHT	KEY TRADE #2	MARCO BELINELLI
DARIUS SONGAILA/CRAIG BRACKINS	KEY TRADE #3	WILLIE GREEN/JASON SMITH

*HAGEN WAS RETAINED AS DIRECTOR OF BASKETBALL OPERATIONS
**ISHOP IS ASSISTANT TRAINER

While Williams is the youngest head coach in the NBA this season at 38, he has a wealth of experience in the league and earned an NBA championship ring with San Antonio. Drafted in the first round by the NY Knicks (24th overall) in 1994, he has served as an assistant coach with San Antonio and Portland over the past six seasons. He’s had some of the best mentors in basketball history along the way to his first top job. Among the head coaches he has either played for or coached with are Hall-of-Famers Larry Brown and Pat Riley, Greg Popovich, Doc Rivers and Jeff Van Gundy.

The Fredericksburg, Va native was such a spectacular prep basketball player at Potomac HS in Oxon Hill. Md that many considered him the equal of another great local prospect…Grant Hill, from South Lakes HS in Reston, Va. Hill was later selected 3rd overall in the 1995 NBA draft.

Williams’ quick ascent to NBA head coach is hardly a surprise considering his path to the pros includes overcoming hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), which is a thickening of the left ventricle of the heart. He was diagnosed with the career-threatening ailment prior to his sophomore season at Notre Dame. After sitting out two seasons Monty persevered and played the final two years with the Irish. He played nine seasons in the NBA with New York, San Antonio, Denver, Orlando, and Philadelphia.

During his most recent coaching stint in Portland he was credited with the improvement of several young players, including Travis Outlaw and Martell Webster.

Demps was named the Hornets 7th general manager in July. He spent the previous five seasons with the San Antonio Spurs ,three as GM of the Spurs’ Developmental League affiliate, the Austin Toros and last season as the Spurs’ vice president of basketball operations.

The 6-3 Demps played briefly in the NBA with Golden State, San Antonio, and Orlando; however, it was during his Spurs’ stint (1995-96) that he met and befriended teammate Monty Williams. He also played overseas in the Philippines, France, Greece, Turkey, Croatia, and Canada over a 10-year career.

Like Williams, the 40 year old Demps won an NBA Championship with the San Antonio Spurs (2007) while in their front office. In fact, the Hornets new GM is accustomed to winning as the Spurs claimed at least 50 victories in each of his five seasons with the Spurs.

HORNETS ALL-TIME HEAD COACHES BY WIN PCT

NAME	RECORD	WIN PCT	SEASONS
DAVE COWENS	109-70	.609	1996-‘99
PAUL SILAS	208-155	.573	1999-‘03
ALLAN BRISTOW	207-203	.505	1991-‘96
TIM FLOYD	41-41	.500	2003-‘04
BYRON SCOTT	203-216	.484	2004-‘09
JEFF BOWER	34-39	.466	2009-‘10
GENE LITTLES	37-87	.298	1989-‘91
DICK HARTER	28-94	.230	1988-‘90

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