WNBA's Shock hire Bill Laimbeer as coach

AUBURN HILLS, Ky., June 19 (UPI) -- The WNBA's Detroit Shock, off to the worst start in league history at 0-10, Wednesday fired head coach Greg Williams and replaced him with former Detroit Pistons "Bad Boy" Bill Laimbeer.

The 45-year-old Laimbeer was named a special consultant with the Shock at the start of the season after spending the 2001-02 campaign as a television analyst for the Pistons. Laimbeer played 13 seasons with the Pistons and helped them win back-to-back NBA titles in 1989 and '90.

"Bill has been close to the team since the beginning of training camp, holds great basketball knowledge, and expertise and we feel he is the right person to turn the franchise around," said Shock President Tom Wilson. "We consider this a fresh start for the team."

Laimbeer is the Pistons all-time leader with 9,430 rebounds, and was known for his outside shot as well as his physical play that was typical of the Pistons teams in the late 1980s and early '90s.

"Anyone who has followed Bill Laimbeer's basketball career realizes the passion that he has for the game," said Joe Dumars, Laimbeer's former teammate and Pistons President of Basketball Operations. "Bill's experience is a great addition for the Shock.

Williams served as an assistant coach for Detroit's first three seasons in the league before getting the dual role of coach and Director of Player Personnel prior to the 2001 season, when the Shock finished in a tie for last place in the Eastern Conference with a 10-21 record.

Before coming to Detroit, Williams coached Colorado State from 1990-97. He also coached collegiately at Houston, SMU, and Rice.

Williams also coached professionally in the Women's American Basketball Association and the Women's Professional Basketball League.

Detroit's most recent loss was on Tuesday, 75-67, to the Washington Mystics.