LOS ANGELES, Feb. 2 (UPI) -- Rudy Tomjanovich Wednesday announced his resignation as coach of the Los Angeles Lakers.
Tomjanovich, 56, barely halfway through his first season with the team, cited health reasons not related to the bladder cancer that sidelined him for a medical leave of absence as coach of the Houston Rockets during the 2002-03 season.
A stomach virus forced him to miss two games this week.
"I had dealt with all kinds of stress and as the time went by I started to feel my resistance going down," said Tomjanovich, who spoke with General Manager Mitch Kupchak on Monday. "I went from this energetic, pumped-up guy to being sapped of a lot of energy. Why this happened now. Why my body couldn't take it, I don't have the answer."
Kupchak said he knew then that his coach was stepping down.
After a tumultuous off-season and a loss to Detroit in last season's NBA Finals, Tomjanovich was named coach in July after Phil Jackson left the team.
