Updated: September 27, 2011, 1:48 am ET

Warriors hire Welts as president

By HOOPSWORLD
Basketball News & NBA Rumors

The Golden State Warriors have hired Rick Welts as president and chief operating officer.

Welts is scheduled to be introduced at the team’s practice facility Tuesday. He replaces Robert Powell, who resigned in June.

The 58-year-old Welts was president and chief executive of the Phoenix Suns before stepping down earlier this month. He announced in May that he is gay, becoming the first senior sports executive to openly come out.

Welts owns 36 years of NBA experience. He joined Phoenix in 2002 as team president.

The Warriors hired Mark Jackson as coach this offseason and recently added Jerry West as an advisor in the front office.

Your comments are important to us, so please share your thoughts. We will be rolling out prizes and giveaways for our active Commenters. Please keep the comments above board and respectful to everyone and you could win some great stuff from us at HOOPSWORLD.