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SPORTS Wednesday 22 May 2019
Renaissance man: Beilein ready to breathe new life into Cavs

By TOM WITHERS Beilein's first public moments plished everything in col-
AP Sports Writer as Cleveland's coach lege coaching, the excep-
INDEPENDENCE, Ohio (AP) couldn't have gone better. tion being a Division I NCAA
— High on a wall and He was joined by his wife, championship, Beilein says
across the courts from Kathleen, who has been he would have had no re-
where John Beilein was sit- with him every step of the grets had he finished his
ting, the Cavaliers' basket- way of a coaching career career at Michigan.
ball history stared the new that began at Newfane But the chance to bring
coach in the face. Central High School in New back the Cavs was too
He wants to make it richer. York. All four of their chil- much to pass up. His court-
"Look at all those ban- dren were in attendance ship with Cleveland was a
ners up there," Beilein said, along with four grandchil- whirlwind. An initial meet-
pointing toward reminders dren, including grandson ing with Altman quickly es-
of the 2016 NBA champion- Johnny, who recently re- calated to Gilbert sitting in
ship, Eastern Conference vealed to his grandpa that his kitchen to work out a
titles and division crowns the Golden State Warriors five-year contract.
won by the Cavs — most of are his favorite team. As in previous stops at Le Cleveland Cavaliers head coach John Beilein is introduced
during a news conference, Tuesday, May 21, 2019, in Indepen-
them in the past decade. "Here's the good news," Moyne, Canisius, Rich- dence, Ohio.
"It's been done before. Why Beilein said. "Before we mond, West Virginia and Associated Press
can't it be done again?" were hired here, Cavs were West Virginia, Cleveland
This basketball renaissance No. 20 on the list. Now he offers a challenge. through different trial and ery job, and probably with
man is ready for his next re- says we're all the way up to "Rebuild is not a word we're error. It was one (job) that this one, 'What are you
covery project. No. 2. So that's good." going to use here, I saw it was appealing to me. Ev- crazy? Why are you do-
Saying he won't use the Beilein said coaching in the more as a renaissance," ery single time that we've ing that? And I say exactly
word "rebuild," Beilein was NBA was never on his buck- he said. "Let's just change decided to do this, some that, opportunity and chal-
introduced Tuesday by et list. While he accom- and let's see what we can people would say with ev- lenges go hand in hand."q
the Cavs, whose surprising
choice of the 66-year-old
was met with skepticism
only by those who haven't
crossed paths with him over
his more than four decades
as a coach.
Cleveland's expansive
search ended last week
with someone who has won
at every level in college
— most recently during a
12-year run at Michigan —
and will now see if his team-
first, family-oriented style
can work in the pros.
"He's all the things you
would want in a head
coach," Cavs owner Dan
Gilbert said.
Even before being es-
corted onto the podium
by general manager Koby
Altman, Beilein showed his
eagerness to turn around
a team whose run of four
straight finals ended this
season following the de-
parture of LeBron James.
The Cavs went 19-63 and
parted with two coaches.
About an hour before the
news conference, Beilein
peeled off his suit coat,
went onto the floor and
rebounded for Cavs for-
ward Larry Nance Jr., one
of the team's core players.
Moments later, he chatted
with point guard Collin Sex-
ton, who had just gotten
off a plane from the Philip-
pines and was soon prac-
ticing a jump shot that im-
proved dramatically during
his rookie season.