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Ford to become Toros volunteer assistant coach

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T.J. Ford retired earlier this month after nine injury-hampered years in the NBA. But he's not quite done with basketball. The former point guard for the San Antonio Spurs and consensus player of the year at Texas will be announced today as a volunteer coach for the Austin Toros. "I'll look at it from another perspective," said Ford, 28. "I'm really starting at the bottom. I'm not sure where I'm headed. But I'm headed in the right direction." The Toros, who play home games at the Cedar Park Center, are the NBA Development League team tied to the Spurs. Ford said he plans to use his time as a Toros coach — a position he compared to "an internship" that could lead to a second profession — to plan the rest of his career. "I retired prematurely," he said Thursday night. "I've been around basketball my entire life. I feel I can do something. I feel I can give back to the game." "The Spurs organization was great to me," Ford said. "I have a lot of knowledge that I want to share, hopefully to help someone live their dream and make it to the NBA."