The Los Angeles Clippers today named Alvin Gentry Associate Head Coach and Armond Hill, Kevin Eastman and Tyronn Lue as assistant coaches on the staff of new Senior Vice President of Basketball Operations and Head Coach Doc Rivers. It was also announced that JP Clark will serve as Assistant Players Skills Coach.
Gentry, 58, returns to Los Angeles with over 30 years of NBA and collegiate coaching experience. This will be Gentry’s third stint with the Clippers after previously serving as both head coach (2000-2003) and assistant coach (1990-91). The Shelby, NC native most recently served as the head coach of the Phoenix Suns from May 9, 2009 until mutually parting ways with the Suns on January 18, 2013.
Gentry has been a head coach for four teams in his coaching tenure, leading the Suns, Clippers, Detroit Pistons (1997-2000) and Miami Heat (1995). He has also assisted the USA Basketball Men’s Senior National Team.
Hill brings over 20 years of coaching experience to Los Angeles, joining the Clippers after nine seasons as an assistant coach under Rivers in Boston. Prior to his time in Boston, Hill was an assistant for the Atlanta Hawks during the 2003-04 season. The Brooklyn, NY native spent eight years as the head coach at Columbia University. A member of the New York City Basketball Hall of Fame, Hill played eight seasons in the NBA after being named the Ivy League Player of the Year at Princeton in 1976.
Eastman was a member of Rivers’ staff in Boston for the last eight seasons and has over 23 years of coaching experience. The National Director of Skill Development for Nike Basketball, Eastman served as the head coach at Washington State University (1994-99) and the University of North Carolina-Wilmington (1991-94) and has also been an assistant coach at University of Tulsa, University of Richmond, Virginia Commonwealth and Colorado State.
Lue joins the Clippers after spending four seasons on the Celtics bench, the previous two as an assistant coach. Lue joined Boston for the 2009-10 season as Director of Basketball Development. A native of Mexico, Missouri, Lue played 11 seasons in the NBA and appeared in 554 career games. The former University of Nebraska star won the 2000 and 2001 NBA Championship with the Lakers. Lue will serve as the head coach for the Clippers summer league team in Las Vegas.
Clark comes to Los Angeles following one season with the Celtics in their Player Development Department. He also served as an assistant coach for the Celtics’ D-League affiliate, the Maine Red Claws. The Indiana native was the Assistant Director of Operations for the men’s basketball team at the University of Central Florida from 2011-2012. He played basketball at Flagler College and graduated in 2009.