CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) -Charlotte Bobcats coach Larry Brown is pursuing his former college teammate, Doug Moe, to join his new coaching staff.

The Bobcats announced Wednesday that Brown hired Dave Hanners as an assistant and retained Phil Ford and Jeff Capel from former coach Sam Vincent's staff.

Brown indicated he was trying to get Moe to agree to return to the bench. The 69-year-old Moe played with Brown at North Carolina before becoming a longtime NBA head coach, notably with the Denver Nuggets. Moe is scheduled to retire as an assistant with the Nuggets.

``I talked to him and we're going to talk some more,'' Brown said. ``He had asked me, 'What would I do?' I said, 'Whatever you want.' He's pretty special.''

Moe and Brown first worked together in 1972 as coaches with the ABA's Carolina Cougars.

Brown, beginning his ninth NBA head coaching job, said he's also talked to former Vancouver and Golden State coach Brian Winters, ex-South Carolina coach Dave Odom, retiring NBA player Eric Snow and former New York and Sacramento assistant Brendan O'Connor about joining his staff.

Brown said he's also waiting to see what happens in Atlanta after the Hawks hired Rick Sund as general manager. Several members of Atlanta coach Mike Woodson's staff worked under Brown in Detroit.

Familiarity was important in Brown's new hires.

Hanners has worked under Brown in Philadelphia, New York and Detroit. He was a one-time teammate of Ford at North Carolina. Ford worked under Brown in Detroit.

``It was important to me to put together a staff that I feel comfortable with, but also one that mirrors my coaching philosophy,'' Brown said.

The moves come in a busy offseason for the Bobcats. Brown was hired after Sam Vincent was let go following a 32-50 season. While the Bobcats have not officially announced the move, former coach and GM Bernie Bickerstaff has left his front office role with the team.

The Bobcats also announced that NBA player LaSalle Thompson was hired as strength and conditioning coach and Steve Stricker is the team's new athletic trainer.

Thompson played for Brown in Indiana, while Stricker was the former trainer in Washington when Bobcats part-owner Michael Jordan worked there.Copyright © 2005 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. The information contained in the AP News report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press.