The Nets have found their new head coach.
Brooklyn on Thursday hired Steve Nash as the 23rd head coach in franchise history. Nash, best known for his days with the Dallas Mavericks and Phoenix Suns, is a Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famer as well as as two-time NBA MVP.
“Coaching is something I knew I wanted to pursue when the time was right, and I am humbled to be able to work with the outstanding group of players and staff we have here in Brooklyn,” Nash said in a Nets press release. “I am as excited about the prospects of the team on the court as I am about moving to Brooklyn with my family and becoming impactful members of this community.”
Added general manager Sean Marks: “In Steve we see a leader, communicator and mentor who will garner the respect of our players. I have had the privilege to know Steve for many years. One of the great on-court leaders in our game, I have witnessed firsthand his basketball acumen and selfless approach to prioritize team success. His instincts for the game, combined with an inherent ability to communicate with and unite players towards a common goal, will prepare us to compete at the highest levels of the league.”
Nash will inherit a Nets team that should have Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant, both of whom will be coming off injuries, back in the fold. Whether he can manage those personalities will be one of the biggest storylines of the 2020-21 NBA season.
Thumbnail photo via Shanna Lockwood/USA TODAY Sports Images
