In his first comments since getting fired by the New Orleans Pelicans, Alvin Gentry admitted he was surprised he was let go.
Gentry was a guest on ESPN's First Take where he spoke about how he didn't expect to get fired despite the Pelicans' struggles in Orlando that led to another season without postseason basketball.
Alvin Gentry joined the Pelicans in the summer of 2015. He was fresh off of winning a title with the Golden State Warriors, so fans in New Orleans were naturally excited about the offensive savant bringing his philosophy to the Big Easy.
Unfortunately, the Pelicans underwhelmed under Gentry. New Orleans only made the playoffs once despite having one of the best players in the NBA in Anthony Davis on the roster. Gentry went 175-225 in the regular season and 5-4 in the playoffs with the team.
For what it's worth, the North Carolina native told ESPN he is confident that he will get a new job soon.
Aside from New Orleans, Gentry has coached the Miami Heat, Detroit Pistons, Los Angeles Clippers and Phoenix Suns. He is well-respected in the NBA, with New Orleans executive VP David Griffin even saying it was a difficult decision for him to fire Gentry.
The Pelicans' vacancy should be attractive to several available head coaches in the NBA. The roster is young and talented, led by Zion Williamson, Brandon Ingram, Lonzo Ball and Josh Hart.
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