Rockets Receive Permission to Interview Warriors’ Kenny Atkinson

The Rockets have received permission to interview Warriors assistant Kenny Atkinson for their head-coaching vacancy, per Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.

Atkinson was among the candidates listed by reports as soon as Houston parted ways with former coach Stephen Silas on Monday. Former Lakers coach Frank Vogel has also been linked to the Rockets.

Atkinson, 55, has spent each of the last two seasons with coach Steve Kerr and the Warriors. Before that, he spent a year on the Clippers bench.

He was head coach of the Nets from 2016-20, fired just several days before the league shut down because of the COVID pandemic. With Brooklyn, Atkinson compiled a record of 118-190.

He has also held assistant coaching jobs with the Hawks and Knicks from 2008-16.

Atkinson was offered and accepted the Hornets job last summer, then backed out of the arrangement to return to the Warriors.

ESPN Sources: Houston has received permission to interview Golden State associate head coach Kenny Atkinson for franchise’s coaching job. Atkinson helped rebuild Nets into a playoff team and accepted Charlotte job before changing his mind and staying in Golden State a year ago.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) April 11, 2023

Atkinson played college basketball at Richmond, then professionally in France, Spain, Italy and the Netherlands. He was invited by the Knicks and several others for a tryout in the summer of 1991.

After winning the title last season, the Warriors open the playoffs Saturday as the West’s No. 6 seed. They face the No. 3 seed Kings, coached by Mike Brown, Atkinson’s former fellow assistant with Golden State.