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- The New Jersey Nets have picked up the contract option on head coach Lawrence Frank, Nets CEO Rod Thorn announced today. Frank, who compiled a 25-15 regular season mark, had been tabbed as the Nets interim head coach on January 26, 2004, after spending three and a half seasons as an assistant coach for the team. As per team policy, terms of the contract were not released.

“Lawrence did an excellent job under very difficult circumstances,” said Thorn. “The team responded very well to his coaching.”

Frank began his NBA coaching career in record-setting style, as he went 13-0 from January 27-February 24, which set a new NBA mark for the most consecutive wins by a head coach to begin a coaching career. The 13-game winning streak was also the longest winning streak of any coach in any of the four major professional sports to begin a career. During the streak, the Nets won six consecutive games on the road, which gave Frank the mark for the most wins by a head coach on the road at the outset of their coaching career. During the first full month of his coaching regime (February), Frank led the Nets to an 11-2 record, which earned him recognition as the NBA Eastern Conference ‘Coach of the Month.’ The team’s record during the month of February also set a new Nets franchise standard for winning percentage in a month with an .846 mark.

A native of Teaneck, New Jersey, Frank spent three seasons as an assistant coach for the Vancouver Grizzlies under Brian Hill. Frank’s responsibilities with the Grizzlies included scouting upcoming opponents as well as practice and bench coaching duties.

Prior to joining the Grizzlies, Frank served as an assistant coach at the University of Tennessee for three seasons under Head Coach Kevin O’Neill. Frank first worked with O’Neill as a staff assistant at Marquette in 1992 and during his tenure, helped lead the Marquette Warriors to two NCAA tournament berths and a Sweet 16 appearance in 1994.

Frank earned his B.S. in education from Indiana University in 1992, where he spent four seasons as a manager for the Hoosier basketball team led by Bob Knight. He also holds an M.S. in education administration from Marquette.

Lawrence and his wife, Susan, have two daughters, Dillon Grace and Caitlin Elizabeth, and reside in Englewood, New Jersey.