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Sources: Ayers to Be Next 76ers Coach

Posted on: Thursday, 19 June 2003, 06:00 CDT

Randy Ayers will be promoted from assistant to head coach of the Philadelphia 76ers to replace Larry Brown, The Associated Press has learned.

The Sixers scheduled a Friday afternoon news conference but didn't provide details.

Two team sources, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the 76ers had picked Ayers as their new coach and would introduce him at the news conference.

Ayers spent the last six seasons as an assistant to Brown and was the coach at Ohio State the previous eight years, going 124-108. Brown resigned last month and is now the Detroit Pistons' coach.

Ayers wasn't Philadelphia's first choice, but president Billy King couldn't get permission to speak to Portland coach Maurice Cheeks, a former Sixers star. Also, former Knicks coach Jeff Van Gundy and Kentucky coach Tubby Smith said they weren't interested in the job after speaking to King. Van Gundy took over in Houston, replacing Rudy Tomjanovich.

King also interviewed Eddie Jordan, who was hired by Washington on Thursday, former Atlanta coach Mike Fratello, Sixers assistant Mike Woodson and Miami Heat assistant Bob McAdoo.

Ayers led Ohio State to four postseason appearances and was the AP Coach of the Year in 1991 after the Buckeyes went 27-4 and won the first of consecutive Big Ten championships.

Ayers played four seasons at Miami of Ohio, and was selected in the third round of the 1978 NBA draft by Chicago. He was cut before the season started, played one year of professional ball in Reno, Nev., and then began his coaching career.

Before going to Ohio State, Ayers coached two years at Army and was a graduate assistant at his alma mater.

The Sixers went 48-34 last season and won a first-round playoff series over New Orleans before losing to Detroit in six games. Brown took Philadelphia to the NBA Finals in 2001, but injuries and questionable personnel moves have hindered the team since.

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