Bobcats officially make Dunlap new head coach

Jun 20, 2012 - 7:41 PM Charlotte, NC (Sports Network) - The Charlotte Bobcats officially named Mike Dunlap head coach on Wednesday.

Dunlap, the top assistant under Steve Lavin at St. John's, accepted the job after receiving the offer Monday night.

"Mike Dunlap embodies the characteristics we were seeking in a head coach," Bobcats president of basketball operations Rod Higgins said. "He is renowned in basketball circles as a teacher, developer of talent, communicator and collaborator. His energy and work ethic are endless, and we are excited to have him in charge of our team."

Dunlap will replace Paul Silas, who lost his position in April after the team lost its last 23 games of the season to finish 7-59 for a .106 winning percentage, the worst in league history.

Despite that dubious distinction, the Bobcats will pick No. 2 next week after the Hornets won the NBA Draft Lottery last month.

Dunlap led St. John's last season while Lavin recovered from surgery for prostate cancer. He has NBA experience, having served two years under Denver Nuggets head coach George Karl.

Dunlap was also an associate head coach at Arizona (2008-09) and Oregon (2009-10).