Words of wisdom sinking in . . . Ian Robilliard finally has the Kings winning games after a disastrous start to the season. Words of wisdom sinking in . . . Ian Robilliard finally has the Kings winning games after a disastrous start to the season. Photo: Getty Images
WHEN the Sydney Kings racked up an embarrassing 14-game losing streak earlier in the season, it looked like coach Ian Robilliard had fouled himself out of a job.
The Kings admitted the performance was not acceptable in a city that demands winners - even if the club was in its first season back in the resurrected National Basketball League. Although a famously likeable bloke, there were fans and members of the Kings' ownership structure who feared ''Moose'' Robilliard was too nice and some players took advantage of his good nature.
They speculated about how different the Kings' season might have been if Robilliard showed more mongrel. And despite travelling a bit better than the Kings, the Melbourne Tigers sacked their respected coach, Al Westover.
But at a news conference today, Kings chief executive officer Bob Turner is expected to announce that Robilliard will coach the Kings again in season 2011-12.
The announcement comes after the Kings enjoyed yet another win on Sunday night that helped them finally move off the bottom of the NBL ladder for the first time since December.
The 76-72 victory over Adelaide means the Kings have staged a remarkable rally, winning seven of their past 10 games, and can now be more optimistic about avoiding their first wooden spoon in the club's 23-year history.
Robilliard played for the Kings under then coach Turner in 1989 and later became an assistant coach with the club. It was Turner who recommended Robilliard as the coach for this season - a recommendation Turner admits some thought was crazy because they felt Robilliard wasn't qualified enough.
But Turner said yesterday: ''He's a great manager of people and he's a great leader, and that's what you need at this level to coach. It's been a very struggling year for him. I think the board, during the 14-game losing streak, scrutinised everything. Coming to the end of the season … he's definitely got the team on track.''
A media release put out by the Kings yesterday said today's announcement ''will be the prelude to a series of rolling announcements over the next two to four weeks''.
One announcement the Kings would love to make would be the re-signing of gun rookie Ben Madgen, who hails from South Australia.
Robilliard is a huge fan of Madgen, who earned his respect after signing on as the Kings' marginal 11th man and making himself a vital member of the team through his work ethic.
The Kings would also love to announce that star player Julian Khazzouh will definitely be with the club in 2011-12. Khazzouh is the only King contracted to play for the club again next season, but he has been in such great form that he could attract an offer from the NBA and the Kings would not stand in the way of such an opportunity.
A third announcement the club would love to make would be a shirt sponsor. It still does not have one, even though Turner reckons the Kings, who play the New Zealand Breakers away on Thursday, would be the best sponsorship bargain in Australian sport.