EL SEGUNDO, Calif. — Former Los Angeles Lakers forward Mark Madsen will be introduced today as coach of their NBA Development League team, the Los Angeles D-Fenders.
Madsen, an assistant coach at Stanford in the 2012-13 season, was named Monday to succeed Reggie Theus, who resigned after one season to become coach at Cal State Northridge.
“Mark understands the emphasis we place on developing intelligent and skilled players who can contribute important minutes with the Lakers and in the NBA,” D-Fenders President/CEO Joey Buss said.
“We are confident that Mark’s experience in the NBA will help us reach our goals, further establishing the D-Fenders as a franchise known for producing top NBA talent while competing at a championship level.”
Madsen was an assistant coach with the NBA Development League’s Utah Flash in the 2009-10 season.
Madsen was the Lakers’ first-round choice in the 2000 NBA draft, was a member of their 2001 and 2002 champion teams. He signed with Minnesota in 2003, where he played the final six seasons of his nine-season NBA career.
Madsen played college basketball at Stanford, helping lead the Cardinal to the NCAA tournament in all four of his seasons, including a Final Four berth in 1998.
