Avent Has Been a Coach on Bench

The 12th man on one of the league’s weakest teams is not what veteran big man Anthony Avent thought he would be when he signed as a free agent with the Clippers last summer.

But Avent, who has played in only 22 games and did not play against Dallas on Thursday night, has made the most of his time on the bench by helping young centers Michael Olowokandi and Keith Closs and forwards Maurice Taylor and Lamar Odom.

“Avent sees everything,” Olowokandi said. “Lamar nicknamed him ‘the Deacon.’ He tries to help out everyone. And the thing is, to a large extent, the stuff he tells us is true.”

Avent, selected from Seton Hall by Atlanta as the 15th overall pick in 1991, has played with five teams in six NBA seasons. He understands he has a role to play even when he is not on the floor.

“I tell them little things that I see offensively and defensively,” Avent said. “I try to tell them about tendencies of [opposing players]. I try to make sure each and every guy is prepared individually to play their guy. That’s a major key.”

Avent’s best season came was with Milwaukee when he averaged 9.8 points and 6.2 rebounds in 1992-93. Since then, he has had to adjust to different roles as a bench player. This season, he is averaging only 1.2 points and 1.0 rebounds.

“I just try to look at everything that goes on,” he said. “Because one thing about not playing is, you do get to watch the game and see what is going on.

“Everything is a learning process. You can tell a guy something you see, but I didn’t pick it up overnight. It took time and observation.”