Billy King admitted Wednesday night that there were times he was worried he would ever work in the NBA again, that after a tumultuous time dealing with Allen Iverson, etc., he had been forgotten.
"I experienced it, the highs and lows. Some days, I had my head up, other days I would ask myself, 'What went wrong?'" he told Phil Jasner of the Philadelphia Daily News. "But I have a good wife [Melanie] and a good family, and they encouraged me."
That changed on July 6 when Rod Thorn called with an invitation to apply for the Nets job he was leaving. King had earlier sent Thorn an email congratulating him on the hiring of his friend Avery Johnson but was surprised Thorn had called.
Now, back in the NBA, King is receiving plaudits from those he spent time with in Philadelphia, including Larry Brown. On the other side of the Turnpike, the man sent south to replace King, Ed Stefanski, remembers his old boss, the tough guy.
-
Former 76ers' executive Billy King hired as GM by Nets - Phill Jasner - Philadelphia Daily News
- Patience paid off for new Nets general manager Billy King - John Smallwood - Philadelphia Daily News
- Billy King, Ex-Sixers GM, hired by Nets - Frank Fitzpatrick - Philadephia Inquirer
- Thorn served Nets well - Al Iannazzone - The Record
-
After tumultuous tenure with Sixers, Billy King ready to take over as Nets GM - Dave D'Alessandro - Star-Ledger
- King crowned Nets' new GM - Fred Kerber - New York Post
-
Billy King, former GM of Philadelphia 76ers, hired as general manager - Stefan Bondy - New York Daily News