Dunleavy Steps Down as Buck GM

After five disappointing seasons with the Milwaukee Bucks, General Manager Mike Dunleavy announced his resignation Saturday.

“I am sorry that I did not get to accomplish what I and the organization wanted--to get back into the playoffs,” Dunleavy said in a Buck news release. The Bucks, who fired Dunleavy as coach last year, have failed to make the playoffs the last six seasons.

Dunleavy, 43, who spent four years as general manager and coach and an additional year as general manager only, would like to get an NBA coaching job, vice president John Steinmuller said.

“I wish the Bucks well and want to express my thanks for the opportunity,” Dunleavy said. “I am not sorry I took the opportunity. I do regret that I did not succeed.”

Dunleavy completed five seasons of an eight-year contract that was to have carried him through 1999-2000. He had a 107-221 record as coach of the Bucks and carries a lifetime NBA coaching record of 208-284.

Dunleavy became the Bucks’ fifth coach on May 12, 1992, signing with much fanfare after guiding the Lakers to the 1991 NBA finals.

The Bucks finished 28-54 in his first season and a franchise-worst 20-62 the following season. They won 34 games in 1994-95 but slipped to 25 wins the next season.

Dunleavy was fired from his coaching job April 27, 1996, and remained as general manager when he and U.S. Sen. Herb Kohl, the team’s owner, failed to reach an agreement on a buyout that would have allowed him to leave Milwaukee.

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Houston Rocket Coach Rudy Tomjanovich was appointed coach of the U.S. team for the 1998 FIBA World Championships of Basketball. Next year’s event will take place July 29-Aug.9 in Athens. . . . Miami Heat forward P.J. Brown won the J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship award, given each year by the Pro Basketball Writers Assn. to the NBA player, coach or trainer in recognition of outstanding community service and charitable work.