Los Angeles Lakers Name Kurt Rambis, Johnny Davis Assistant Coaches

The Los Angeles Lakers have hired Kurt Rambis and Johnny Davis as assistant coaches.

For Rambis, it’s a return to familiar ground. He won four titles with the team as a player during the Magic Johnson “Showtime” era and was an assistant from 1994 to 1999 and again from 2001 to 2004. He took over as head coach 13 games into the 1998-99 season, tying a then-NBA record with nine consecutive wins to start a head coaching career.

“Kurt is a great basketball mind, extremely good at working with big men and his experience as a head coach in this league is going to prove very helpful to our staff,” GM Mitch Kupchak said in a statement.

A native of Detroit, Davis spent the last two seasons as an assistant with the Toronto Raptors. Prior to that, he spent six seasons as an assistant coach with the Memphis Grizzlies, Indiana Pacers and Minnesota Timberwolves. Davis also spent two seasons (2003-05) serving as head coach of the Orlando Magic. He also previously coached the Philadelphia 76ers for the 1996-97 season.

“Johnny is a two-time NBA head coach with years of experience playing as well as coaching in this league. The vast array of NBA knowledge he brings to the table will be invaluable to us," added Kupchak.