Mike Dunlap

CHARLOTTE -- The Charlotte Bobcats have hired Mike Dunlap as the franchise's fifth head coach.

He replaces Paul Silas, who was fired after the Bobcats ended up with the worst record in NBA history.

Dunlap, 54, is the assistant head coach at St. Johns and has NBA experience. He coached with the Denver Nuggets under head coach George Karl.

The Associated Press reports a spoke on condition of anonymity Monday because an official announcement was still being planned for the next two days.

The Charlotte Observer first reported the news.

The Observer reports that Dunlap met with team owner Michael Jordan Monday evening, where they offered the job to him. Dunlap accepted, the Observer reports.

Dunlap has been in the assistant's chair most of his career, coaching at Arizona, Southern Cal, Iowa and Loyola Marymount.

The news comes as a bit of a surprise because Dunlap was not one of the team's three finalists.

He was originally one of the 10 candidates to interview for the job, but the team trimmed the list to former Utah coach Jerry Sloan, Indiana assistant coach Brian Shaw and Los Angeles Lakers assistant coach Quin Snyder.

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