PORTLAND, Ore. — Steve Patterson returned to the NBA on Wednesday, leaving the NFL and becoming president of a Portland Trail Blazers team trying to restore its image.
Patterson, a vice president with the Houston Texans, spent nine years with the Houston Rockets as general manager and general counsel. He helped build championship teams in 1994 and 1995 before joining the Texans to run Reliant Stadium.
The Trail Blazers have faced a string of public relations problems the past year, from player arrests on drug charges to fights between players.
"You have to step up and take things in a different direction," Trail Blazers owner Paul Allen said. "I want that excitement to return to the maximum degree that it can."
Patterson will be the first of two hires to replace Bob Whitsitt, the president and general manager the past nine years who resigned last month, effective July 1.
At a news conference with Allen, Patterson said he will work to rebuild fan interest.
"There are a lot of challenges in the last year given the issues both on and off the floor," Patterson said.
"We need to put together a franchise that's smart, tough and classy and plays consistent basketball. If you have those elements you'll have a franchise the community can be proud of," he said.
In Houston, Texans owner and president Bob McNair said he was "delighted" for Patterson.
"I think they need him and I think it's a great opportunity and I think he's going to perform very well."
Patterson became one of Houston's most successful pro sports executives, moving from the Rockets to the IHL's Aeros to the Texans.
As the Rockets' general manager from 1989-93, Patterson drafted Alabama's Robert Horry, signed free agent Matt Bullard and negotiated trades for Kenny Smith, Vernon Maxwell, Otis Thorpe and Carl Herrera. All were keys to the Rockets' 1994 title team.
RAPTORS HIRE O'NEILL: Kevin O'Neill, known for his intense, in-your-face style as a college coach, was introduced Wednesday as the man to succeed the laid-back Lenny Wilkens with the Toronto Raptors.
O'Neill replaces the Hall of Famer, who left the Raptors "by mutual agreement" with one year remaining on his contract. The team is coming off a 24-58 season in which Wilkens set the league record for career losses.
Raptors star Vince Carter has said Wilkens' easygoing style wasn't effective.
O'Neill could be considered the anti-Wilkens. He was the head coach at Northwestern, Tennessee and Marquette and had a career record of 190-197 at the college level.
"That reputation was earned, but I'm also a smart guy. Without bragging, I'm intelligent. I know when to be demonstrative now and when not to be, and I'm in a different role than I ever was as a head coach," O'Neill said.
O'Neill also served as an assistant to Jeff Van Gundy in New York three years ago.
"There will be no chair throwing, no maniacal coaching," O'Neill said. "Once upon a time I was fiery. When you're young and ignorant you're fiery. I've gotten a little bit older and wiser."
Considered a defensive specialist, O'Neill takes over a team that was one of the worst at that end of the court, ranking last in the NBA in opponents' field goal percentage.
WIZARDS HIRE EDDIE JORDAN: New Jersey Nets assistant coach Eddie Jordan will be the new coach of the Washington Wizards, The Associated Press has learned.
A source said Jordan accepted an offer Wednesday after meeting with owner Abe Pollin. Jordan is expected to be introduced at a news conference today. He will become the Wizards' seventh coach in six seasons.
The Wizards pursued Jordan after higher-profile coaches Larry Brown and Jeff Van Gundy opted to take other jobs. Jordan replaces Doug Collins, who was fired May 30 after back-to-back 37-45 seasons. Collins' dismissal was part of Pollin's house-cleaning after the owner decided to not rehire Michael Jordan as president of basketball operations.
Eddie Jordan spent the last four seasons with the Nets. He was the head coach of the Sacramento Kings for the final 15 games of the 1996-97 season and the entire 1997-98 season, compiling a 33-64 record.
He will try to turn around a franchise that hasn't won a playoff game since 1998, one with a culture of losing to which even Michael Jordan succumbed. The team's image was further damaged by Pollin's messy dismissal of Jordan, who had expected to return to the front office after coming out of retirement to play two seasons before sellout crowds.
Pollin has admitted his decision was unpopular, but he has backed it up with a money-back guarantee, promising season ticket-holders a refund if they aren't happy with his personnel moves this summer.