On the throes of a five-game losing streak, the Sacramento Kings shocked the NBA yesterday by terminating the services of two-time Coach of the Year Mike Brown.
One of Brown's deputies, former Kings player and defensive specialist Doug Christie was promoted as interim head coach as a result of the shake-up.
One of the other assistants in Sacramento is PBA legend Jimmy Alapag. It's unclear if the former longtime Gilas Pilpinas captain was in the running for the top spot, but the hope and expectation is that he will get his much-deserved chance somewhere down the road.
READ: What happens to Jimmy Alapag after Mike Brown's firing?
For now though, the former TNT star is happy where he's at: slowly but surely climbing up the ladder.
"I'm currently a player development coach here in Sacramento going on Year Two. It's a huge blessing. I'm thankful for this opportunity - there's not very many Filipinos around the NBA," Alapag told SPIN.ph contributor Venancio Valencia Jr. prior to today's Kings-Lakers showdown at Crypto.com Arena.
What a blessing indeed.
Per the NBA Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), teams are not allowed to reveal contract details of deputies, but Sportskeeda reported that assistant coaches are paid in five to six figures depending on the responsibilities.
According to ESPN, former Phoenix Suns assistant Kevin Young was the highest-paid lieutenant at $2 million.
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