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Lakers Hire Kurt Rambis As Assistant Coach

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com/AP) The Los Angeles Lakers have added Kurt Rambis to their coaching staff, he announced Monday.

Rambis, who played power forward for the Lakers from 1981-1988 and 1993-1995, has been working as an ESPN analyst, and will be assistant to head coach Mike D'Antoni.

"Kurt is a great basketball mind, extremely good at working with big men, and his experience as a head coach in this league is going to prove very helpful to our staff," D'Antoni said of Rambis.

The 55-year-old announced his new job on Twitter Monday morning.

Rambis, who was a fan-favorite for the Lakers during the "Showtime" era, previously coached for Los Angeles in the late 1990s and early 2000s. He left to become the head coach of the Minnesota Timberwolves in 2009. He was fired after two seasons and began working at ESPN.

Many had previously thought that Rambis, who is known for his handling of defense, would be a possible heir to Phil Jackson before leaving to take over the Timberwolves.

Rambis, who attended Santa Clara University through 1980, also played for Toronto, Charlotte, Phoenix, and Sacramento.

RELATED STORY: Source: Lakers Close To Hiring Kurt Rambis

(TM and © Copyright 2013 CBS Local Media, a division of CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2013 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

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