The Charlotte Bobcats named Jeff Capel as an assistant coach, it was announced today by Bobcats General Manager & Head Coach Bernie Bickerstaff. Capel joins Gary Brokaw, John-Blair Bickerstaff, Gary Kloppenburg and John Outlaw on the coaching staff.

?I am very pleased to add Jeff Capel to our staff. Jeff is well-known and respected in basketball circles and he will be a perfect fit with our staff and players,? Bickerstaff said. ?He has achieved success wherever he has been as a coach, but more impressive is how he imparts his knowledge and relates to the players.?

Among Capel?s duties will be on-the-floor coaching and serving as an advance scout.

?I want to thank the Charlotte Bobcats and Bernie Bickerstaff for this wonderful opportunity. I?m thrilled to join a great coaching staff and to help build this team from the beginning. I will do whatever I can to help the team progress and succeed,? Capel said. ?My time in the NBDL was a very enjoyable experience and allowed me to realize my dream of coaching in the NBA.?

Capel joins the Bobcats after serving two-plus seasons as head coach of the Fayetteville Patriots in the National Basketball Development League, with a 69-61 (.531) record in that time. He took over the head coaching job midway through the Patriots inaugural season in 2001-02 and the following season, in his first full season, he guided the team to the NBDL Finals and a 32-18 record, tops in the NBDL regular season. Last season, Capel coached four players who earned a call-up to the NBA and still led the Patriots into the postseason.

Prior to the NBDL, Capel spent 12 years as a head coach at the collegiate level at Old Dominion, North Carolina A&T and Fayetteville State, with a combined record of 201-162 (.554).