Earlier this summer, the Los Angeles D-Fenders named Mark Madsen as their new head coach. Madsen was seemingly excited for the opportunity to coach the Lakers D-League affiliate, but he was later named to Mike D’Antoni’s coaching staff, leaving the D-Fenders without a head coach — until now.
According to their official twitter account, the D-Fenders named Bob MacKinnon as their new head coach.
OFFICIAL: Bob MacKinnon, a 30-plus year coaching vet, has been named the newest head coach of the D’s. #GoDFenders pic.twitter.com/Uoc1nKci8n
— L.A. D-Fenders (@DFenders) August 7, 2013
MacKinnon has been coaching for over 30 years at the college and professional level. MacKinnon was most recently the head coach of the Springfield Armor, the D-League affiliate for the Brooklyn Nets. But MacKinnon also coached the Colorado 14ers and led to the 2009 D-League championship (the 14ers have since been relocated and renamed the Texas Legends).
He began his college coaching career at Merchyhurst College in Pennsylvania where he was an assistant from 1982-85. He then assisted at George Washington University where he was an assistant under former Lakers assistant coach Kuester from 1985-1990. MacKinnon received his first head coaching gig with the US Merchant Marine Academy in 1997. During his three years there, he won two Skyline Conference championships and won Skyline Conference coach of the year in 1999.
From there MacKinnon has spent time at Notre Dame, North Carolina and Marshall University. He has served as the associate directer of the Lakers Summer camps and a regional scout from 2005-08. Now, MacKinnon will serve as the head coach of the Lakers D-League affiliate team and will look to bring some of the success to the D-Fenders that he’s had in previous stints.
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