Source :- PERTH NOW NEWS
Joe Ingles is having input into Melbourne United’s search for a new NBL coach, but the Australian basketball legend insists the final call is not his to make.
After 12 seasons and more than 800 games in the NBA, 38-year-old Ingles is back in his home town after a joke with club boss Nick Truelson turned into the real deal.
Ingles said his return was motivated by desire to play and compete more after spending most of his two-year stint with Minnesota on the bench.
“I had joked with Nick about a year ago when they were signing Jesse Edwards, who I played with … and I think the last text I sent him was like, ‘If you need a three-man next year, let me know,” Ingles said on Monday.
“Obviously the last couple of years for me not playing was, not tough because I’m in a pretty good situation, but as a competitor you want to play and help your team win.
“Later in the season it kind of got floated about … the more we talked about it, it was exciting for me basketball-wise, and just raising our kids back in Australia was always a goal. I didn’t think it would be this soon.”
Since Ingles signed, long-term coach Dean Vickerman has taken up a job in Japan, with the club still hunting his replacement.
Former NBA coach Dave Joerger, who has a long relationship with Ingles, was their primary target before the American turned his attention to a position in France.
Ingles said he was being consulted but wasn’t the driver on the new coach appointment.
“Yeah, I’ve been spoken to about it. I don’t ask to be in those conversations, but if they come to me I’m more than happy to help,” the five-time Olympian said.
“I’ve been lucky enough over my career to make some really good relationships and know a lot of people that know a lot of people, so if they ask questions, I can do some background and give Nick some answers.
“Apart from that I don’t want this to be a Joe Ingles show of like ‘I picked the coach and I picked the imports’ – it’s not what I’m here to do, so more than happy to help, but I’m not going to tell them what to do.”
The 203cm forward, renowned for his three-point shooting, said he hadn’t been given any guarantees about starting or playing time but felt he still had “plenty in the tank”.
“I want to play, I want to compete and I want to win,” Ingles said, adding that he had options to remain in the NBA collecting a big pay-cheque from the pine.
“I went into every meeting (with United) and never asked anything money-wise, never asked or demanded to start, never asked anything about playing time, it was all about getting here and … I’ll prove that they need to play me.”
