Mike D’Antoni hiring shocks the Twitterverse

News broke late Sunday evening that Mike D’Antoni would become the Lakers head coach following the firing of Mike Brown.

Most people had assumed that Phil Jackson would take over at the helm, but as Lakers beat reporter Mike Bresnahan reported, Jackson’s informal demands were just too steep and included a stake in team ownership.

So the Lakers went with D’Antoni, who has five playoff appearances as a head coach but has never been to the NBA Finals compared with the Zen Master, who made the playoffs in each of his 20 seasons as head coach and has won 11 NBA titles.

Of course, the Twitter world reacted strongly to the news.

Tweeted @RealSkipBayless: “Mike Brown was a better fit for these Lakers than Mike D’Antoni will be with his Nash-based “7 seconds or less” offense.

Wrote @teamziller: “I always knew Mike D’Antoni couldn’t resist coaching Chris Duhon again”

Tweeted @TaseenShamim: “i honestly think mike d antoni was the worst pick for the lakers, there goes their future”

Wrote @LIANNEWIJANGCO: “Mike D’Antoni? He was coo ‘06/’07 when Nash played for him in the Suns. No defense but he knows how to score. Not Phil Jackson but its good”

Tweeted @H3AtW0rLD: “picking D’Antoni over Phil Jackson is like picking Mike Beasley over Russell Westbrook....i guess we all make mistakes”

Wrote @AlmaSivic: “I wake up to find out that the Lakers hired Mike D’antoni over Phil Jackson. NOT A GOOD DAY ALREADY.”

But so far, the people who truly have to believe in D’Antoni are supporting the Laker brass’ decision.

The players, that is.

Tweeted Lakers power forward Pau Gasol: “We already have a new head coach! I’m sure that Mike D’Antoni will help us be the team that we all want to be! #GoLakers!”

Wrote Kobe Bryant in an email to Yahoo!: “I love him.”

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New Lakers coach Mike D’Antoni’s basketball history