Weiss Named Atlanta Coach

Bob Weiss, who won only 59 of 164 games in two seasons as head coach at San Antonio, became the new coach of the Atlanta Hawks today.

Hawks President Stan Kasten announced the choice at a news conference at the Omni, saying he was “very, very confident that this is the right choice for this team at this time.”

Weiss replaces Mike Fratello, who resigned last month after the Hawks finished the season at 41-41 and missed the NBA playoffs for the first time since 1985.

Weiss was fired by San Antonio after the 1987-88 season and most recently was an assistant with the Orlando Magic.

Kasten said over the weekend that Weiss and New Jersey Nets Vice President Willis Reed were the two finalists for the job. Reed withdrew on Monday and was named senior vice president of the Nets.

By missing the playoffs, the Hawks won a berth in the NBA draft lottery but had only one Ping-Pong ball among 66 in the drawing and finished with the 11th pick in the first round of the draft.

After his retirement as a player in 1977, Weiss spent two years as an assistant to Gene Shue with the San Diego Clippers. In 1980, he became an assistant with the Dallas Mavericks, where he stayed until he was named head coach of the Spurs in 1986.