The first coach Mark Jackson is a bold prediction in his first season with the Golden State Warriors.
"I can not wait, put it in bold, the Golden State Warriors are a playoff team next year," Jackson said Tuesday, a day after he was hired a team in the playoffs only once since 1994. "If I did not expect that I would take a job, and I do to reduce it would only be a playoff team. We look forward to the bay area upside down."
Jackson's comments came before Game 4 of the NBA, who works as a leading analyst for ESPN and ABC. He begins his first coaching job at any time at the end of the series between Dallas Mavericks and Miami Heat.
In 17 seasons the NBA point guard, Jackson has played in New York, Los Angeles Clippers, Indiana, Denver, Toronto, Utah and Houston. He won the Rookie of the Year in 1988 and made the playoffs 14 times. He ranks third in NBA all-time assist list.
While Jackson has never coached at all levels, not seen as a problem.
"Some people say I'm naive, but I do not think it's a great thing," he said. "I've been a leader all my life. Each team has ever played in, I was a director, I was really an extension of the coach on the floor. I know it's a cliché, but it was in my position. I the guy that does a coach ever told me, which is tantamount to an attack. I ran the set and they trusted in my ability to make reads and make calls. I do not think it will be a problem. "
Jackson said he was more concerned that he was never able to organize everything for a team on a daily basis.
"I won all the challenges in front of me to help me God, and I'm looking forward to this," he said.
The 46-year-old Jackson has played for five Hall of Fame coach in his college and pro career: Lou Carnesecca, Lenny Wilkens, Jerry Sloan, Pat Riley and Larry Brown.
"It 's a great resource to help form what is today," Jackson said.
Jackson has one of the best assistants in the NBA with him on the bench after the hiring of Mike Malone as an assistant to take on Tuesday. Malone was an assistant to New Orleans last season as an assistant in Cleveland is a leader with Mike Brown.
"Above all, it's a great day. Mike Malone is the guy I've known for some time," Jackson said. "I have enormous respect for his passion, his knowledge, his commitment. He has a very loyal guy, so it's a big-time recruit for us."