Home>News Center>Sports
         
 

Bush welcomes Pistons to the White House
(Agencies)
Updated: 2005-02-01 08:47

The NBA champion Detroit Pistons visited the White House on Monday, and coach Larry Brown made it clear he has no plans to leave the team.


President Bush shares a laugh with Detroit Pistons Ben Wallace, left, and Pistons MVP Chauncy Billups, right, during a ceremony in the East Room of the White House honoring the 2004 NBA Champions, Monday Jan. 31, 2005. [AP]
"I'm not going to coach anywhere but Detroit," Brown said after he and the Pistons met President Bush in an East Room reception. "It's my last pro coaching job."

Asked if he would take a college coaching job, Brown said, "Oh, I don't look at that."

Speculation that the much-traveled, Brooklyn-born Brown was thinking about leaving the Pistons and taking over the New York Knicks began Friday, when he was quoted in a New York newspaper as saying the Knicks' job was one he had "dreamed about many times."

Bush didn't mention Brown's job status, but he congratulated the Pistons for winning a championship "the right way" — with teamwork.

Bush joked that he had something in common with the Pistons, who defeated the heavily favored Los Angeles Lakers 4-1 in June's NBA Finals.

"Nobody expected you to win," Bush said. "I know how you feel."

Also attending the reception were the players' families, several members of the Michigan congressional delegation, owners Bill Davidson and Oscar Feldman, Joe Dumars, the president of basketball operations, and former star Bill Laimbeer.

Pistons leading scorer Richard Hamilton said visiting the White House was something he never could have imagined as a kid.

"I had dreams of playing in the NBA, but if someone told me you'd come to the White House, sit with the president, shake his hand and have him call you by name, I'd tell him, `You would be lying,'" Hamilton said.



Yao-Shaq showdown in Miami
Rockets lose to Kings 117-111
Kuznetsova and Molik: We are the champion
 
  Today's Top News     Top Sports News
 

Closing farm-urban income gap 'top' goal

 

   
 

More meningitis cases, but no new deaths

 

   
 

Central bank plans more market moves

 

   
 

Rumsfeld may visit Beijing this year

 

   
 

Allawi calls for unity after Iraqi vote

 

   
 

Government backs TCM to improve rural care

 

   
  Wade steals sportlight from Yao-Shaq showdown
   
  Streaking Suns defeat Raptors 123-105
   
  Safin ends Hewitt dream
   
  China thrash Korea 93-77 in All-Star game
   
  Juve extend lead as Milan lose to Bologna
   
  Real scramble nervy 2-1 win lowly Numancia
   
 
  Go to Another Section  
 
 
  Story Tools  
   
Advertisement