CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- The Charlotte Bobcats have hired Los Angeles Lakers assistant Steve Clifford to become their new coach. Two people familiar with the situation said Monday that Clifford had agreed to a three-year contact. They spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the announcement has not been made public. Clifford replaces Mike Dunlap, who was fired after going 21-61 in his only season as coach. Clifford has worked as an assistant in New York, Houston, Orlando and Los Angeles, but has never been a head coach at the NBA level. He has worked under both Jeff and Stan Van Gundy. He becomes the sixth coach of the Bobcats since 2006-07. The Bobcats made the move to hire Clifford on Monday, one day before he was slated for a second interview with the Milwaukee Bucks for their coaching vacancy. Clifford came to Los Angeles with Dwight Howard from the Magic and was retained for the 2013-14 season as an assistant coach. However, the Lakers granted him permission to interview with other teams. Prior to joining the Lakers, Clifford spent five seasons with Orlando, working alongside Stan Van Gundy. During that five-year span, the Magic were 259-135 (.657) and reached the NBA Finals in 2009. Clifford also spent four seasons as an assistant with the Rockets under Jeff Van Gundy and three with the Knicks. Jeff Van Gundy, now an NBA broadcaster, said hes known Clifford since they coached together at the Jim Boeheim camp in 1985 in Syracuse, N.Y., and called him "a person with impeccable integrity." He also thinks hes going to be a pretty good NBA head coach because of the relationships he builds with players and fellow coaches. "Hes a brilliant basketball coach who relates to all kinds of people well and I think he will do an absolutely fantastic job with the talent at hand," Jeff Van Gundy said. "Im so happy for one of the good guys in the league to get this opportunity." Clifford has worked in North Carolina briefly before as an assistant coach for one year at East Carolina. The Bobcats fired Dunlap in April after just one season. Dunlap struggled with the transition from the college game to the NBA and game management. He often butted heads with his veteran players, which is likely one of the reasons the Bobcats decided to go after an experienced NBA assistant like Clifford. Bobcats president of basketball operations Rod Higgins said in mid-April he and general manager Rich Cho met with the players and Dunlap before approaching owner Michael Jordan and asking him to make a coaching change. "The change was allowed," Higgins said in April. Higgins said at the time player input was "a part of the process, but not the only indicator." Higgins was asked in April what he wanted in a new coach. "We want to hire a great leader, (and) the player development aspect is still vitally important to us because of our youth," Higgins said. "Obviously you want a fantastic X-and-O coach. Someone who can make our players better, and help us win games." The Bobcats seemed to place an emphasis on finding a defensive-minded coach after finishing near the bottom of the league in most defensive categories last season. Along with the Clifford, the Bobcats interviewed at least five other known candidates for the position. They spoke early on in the process to former Los Angeles Clippers and Phoenix Suns coach Alvin Gentry, Suns assistant Elston Turner, Cleveland Cavaliers assistant Nate Tibbetts and Houston Rockets assistant Kelvin Sampson. The Bobcats again considered former Lakers assistant Quin Snyder, now a head coach of a professional team in Russia. Snyder and Jerry Sloan were among the three finalists for the job last year that was given to Dunlap. Cheap Vans Shoes Wholesale . The news was first reported on Gonzalezs Twitter account and confirmed by the Rockies. Gonzalez has a six-week window before position players have their first workout at spring training in Arizona. Vans Outlet Uk Online . Batiste, who briefly signed with the Eskimos in 2006, has spent time with several NFL teams including the Pittsburgh Steelers and Washington Redskins. http://www.discountvansuk.com/ . -- If Henry Burris has his way, he will be the starting quarterback to lead the Hamilton Tiger-Cats back to the Grey Cup next year. Best Price Vans Shoes Uk . "Hes going to have hip surgery on Jan. 7, and hell be expected to rehabilitate for four to six months beyond that," Canucks general manager Mike Gillis said Friday in an interview. Discount Vans Shoes Uk . "No difference at all," chirped U.S. roommate and linemate James van Riemsdyk. "Its still the same cranky Phil. Arnulfo Obando, the head trainer of pound-for-pound king and junior bantamweight world titleholder Roman Chocolatito Gonzalez, has been declared brain dead but remains on a ventilator after having a recent stroke and undergoing surgery for a brain aneurysm.Carlos Blandon, Gonzalezs manager, told ESPN that Obando was declared brain dead on Monday but remains connected to an artificial respirator.(He) should be let to rest in peace, but his family are the one that make that decision, Blandon said. We are all very sad and cannot believe this is happening. Roman and the team will utilize this as a catalyst for victory. We know Arnulfo is taking care of us from heaven, therefore we are set to make him and his legacy proud.Obando, 54, who is hospitalized in Managua, Nicaragua, took over training four-division champion Gonzalez in 2010 and helped guide him to world titles at junior flyweight, flyweight and junior bantamweight.With Obando in his corner, Gonzalez (46-0, 38 KOs) won a junior bantamweight title by unanimous decision from Mexicos Carlos Cuadras on Sept. 10 at The Forum in Inglewood, California, in what many viewed as the most difficuult fight of his career.dddddddddddd With the win, Gonzalez became the first Nicaraguan boxer to win a world title in four weight divisions. By getting the fourth title, Gonzalez broke the Nicaraguan record held by the late Hall of Famer Alexis Arguello, his mentor, idol and trainer earlier in his career.Gonzalezs next fight was not being planned for until the spring, possibly a rematch with Cuadras. Blandon said they will not seek a new trainer from outside his current team.Luckily, we have a team of three trainers, therefore we will not hire any other trainer and Roman will maintain his other two trainers, Luis Gonzalez and Wilmer Hernandez.Blandon said Obando suffered the stroke in the small town of Terrabona, Nicaragua, where he was visiting his in-laws.Its a very sad situation, said Tom Loeffler, managing director of K2 Promotions, which co-promotes Gonzalez. Obando was an excellent trainer and did a great job with Roman. But it shows you that in life you cant take anything for granted and it is precious. ' ' '