College - San Diego

The Chicago Bulls announced on July 3, 2008 that Del Harris, Bernie Bickerstaff and Bob Ociepka have been hired as assistant coaches on Vinny Del Negro’s coaching staff. In addition, Pete Myers will remain in his current role as assistant coach. In accordance with club policy, terms of the contracts were not announced.

“When I first accepted this position, I made it a top priority to surround myself with an experienced coaching staff. Now, with the hiring of Del Harris, Bernie Bickerstaff, Bob Ociepka and current assistant coach Pete Myers, you would be hard pressed to find a staff with the combined number of years experience that we have assembled,” stated Del Negro.

“I already have specific ideas on how to use their past experience in our efforts to get this team where we want it to be,” he added.

Bickerstaff, 64, spent last season as the Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations for the Charlotte Bobcats. Prior to that, he served as the Bobcats Head Coach and General Manager during their first three years in the NBA (2004-07). Hailing from Benham, Ky., Bickerstaff owns more than 30 years of NBA experience, including 13-plus seasons as a head coach, going 415-517 (.445) during that span and 12-21 (.364) in the postseason.

In addition to the Bobcats, Bickerstaff was also head coach for the Seattle SuperSonics (1985-90), Denver Nuggets (1994-97) and Washington Bullets/Wizards (1997-99). He has coached his teams to the NBA playoffs five times and was named the 1987 NBA Coach of the Year while with Seattle.