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The Word from Philly: The Second Chance Is Worth It

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.