Allen, Miller discuss Cho hiring

Portland Trail Blazers owner Paul Allen and president Larry Miller discuss Rich Cho, who was named the team’s new general manager on Monday.

Press release:

Allen’s statement

Today is a great day for the Trail Blazers organization. As part of our review of a talented pool of candidates with Larry Miller, I had the pleasure of meeting and talking with Rich Cho. It quickly became very clear to me he had what we were looking for in a general manager.

Rich has depth of character, a foundation in business and legal matters and a knowledge of the game of NBA basketball that will help our team get even better. He is part of the new generation of NBA executives.

We’re glad to be bringing Rich back to the northwest, where I’m sure Portland fans will learn that he is a natural Trail Blazer. Everyone we talked to about Rich said great things about him. He has a great work ethic, insight and a commitment to doing things the right way, and those are all the qualities that we were looking for.

I also want to say that Larry Miller has run a thoughtful and thorough search. I appreciate his diligence in staying focused on finding the right person. In Rich he identified an executive who is proven and who will immediately dedicate himself to the tasks at hand and who will help us stay firmly focused on a team built on character and talent.

Miller’s statement:

It is my pleasure to introduce you to the Trail Blazers new general manager, Rich Cho. Staying true to our commitment to Portland, our top priorities in this process were to find someone who has the proven abilities to be a leader in our business and in our community. Our search was dedicated to finding a person we knew could immediately take over the daily management of our team and basketball staff while focusing keenly on taking us to next level as a serious NBA contender. I am convinced Rich Cho is that person.

With roots firmly planted in the Northwest, Rich has grown up very familiar with Portland’s passion for its NBA franchise. He has great respect for the city, the team and our ownership’s dedication to building a championship organization both on the court and off. He and his wife, Julie, are excited to bring their two daughters to Oregon and make Portland their new home.

Going into this search, it was very important to me to be diligent in evaluating all possible options for Portland and not settling until I knew we had the right person. I have heard from so many people over the past several months. I know how passionate our fans are. I have full respect for the job journalists have to do on a daily basis. I am so proud of the work the Trail Blazers staff continues to do and am fully committed to continue to provide them all with what they need to be successful. For our fans, for our media and for our team and staff, Rich Cho will be a seamless and inspirational addition.

I want to thank Paul Allen for continuing to set the bar for professional sports organizations, bringing his passion and resources generously with one goal – bringing a championship to Portland and to Oregon. He is without a doubt this team’s biggest fan and we will work very hard to make his vision a reality.

To Trail Blazers fans, thank you for your commitment and support. This decision was made with you very much in mind. If you ask anyone that knows him, Rich Cho is first and foremost a great person. He is wildly popular and respected throughout the league. He will work tirelessly for this team and for you. I look forward to you all getting to know him and seeing him in action.