Vandeweghe lands key NBA role
Kiki Vandeweghe has done just about everything there is to do in Basketball and now the American is about to put another feather in his cap. The former NBA player has been named Vice President, Basketball Operations and will start in his new post from April 1st. NBA Executive Vice President, Basketball Operations Stu Jackson made the announcement today.
“Kiki has a lifetime of basketball experience, including an NBA career spanning more than three decades as a player, coach, and general manager, which provides him with a tremendous amount of insight into our game,” Jackson said. “We’re looking forward to drawing upon his expertise on a wide range of matters involving our game.”
That lifetime of experience in the sport of course refers to a playing career that allowed Vandeweghe to do it all. A star in the NCAA with UCLA, Vandeweghe was a first round draft pick to the NBA in 1980 with the Dallas Mavericks but a frosty relationship ensued with the Dallas faithful as Vandeweghe refused to play for the Texas franchise and left for a fruitful NBA career that seen him play most famously for the Denver Nuggets, as well as the Portland Trailblazers, New York Knicks, and the Los Angeles Clippers.
Vandeweghe returned to Dallas in a front office role with the Mavericks, but it was with the Nuggets that he would also find success away from the court. Vandeweghe acted as the Nuggets general manager from 2001 to 2006, a period of time that saw the franchise return to the NBA playoffs. After he left the Nuggets, he held several roles with the New Jersey Nets, including manager, head coach, and President Assistant.
In his new role as Vice President, Basketball Operations for the National Basketball Association Vandeweghe will take care of a wide range of matters within the sport. His job will include developing new playing rules and the interpretations of those rules, disciplinary matters, and procedures relating to the operation of NBA games. He will also serve as a link between the league teams and the NBA.