Wes Unseld Jr. has agreed to a four-year contract to become the new head coach of the Washington Wizards, sources told ESPN on Saturday.
Washington officials sealed a deal with Denver Nuggets assistant coach and agent Brian Effles on Saturday over a long-term deal to replace Scott Brooks, sources said.
Unseld’s return to DC is a great homecoming. His late father, Wes Onseld, is the most important figure in Washington franchise history as a player, coach, and CEO of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
Unseld Jr. , completed two days of interviews in Washington, D.C. on Friday, including with owner Ted Leonsis, and received an offer later that day to become the franchise’s next head coach.
He will be the seventh African-American coach to be named out of eight opening games this season in the NBA. The New Orleans Pelicans are finalizing a deal with assistant Suns Willie Green, Portland Trail Blazers (Chauncey Billups), Atlanta Hawks (Nate McMillan), Orlando Magic (Jamahl Mosely), Boston Celtics (Ime Udoka) and Dallas. ) hired African American coaches. Four of them, including Unseld Jr. And Mosely, Billups, and Green, they are assistants getting first-time opportunities as head coaches.
Unseld Jr. was raised. At the Wizards organization, he worked for 14 years in scouting and coaching roles before becoming one of the league’s rising star assistant coaches.
He has spent the past six seasons with the Nuggets, participating in one of the league’s coolest squads for a championship contender. Help greatly improve the franchise as the team’s defensive coordinator.
Unseld Jr. replaced Brooks, who was fired after five seasons as head coach. The Wizards made the Eastern Conference playoffs, losing in five games to the #1 seed Philadelphia 76ers. To the Wizards’ star, Bradley BellYou have one year left on your contract. Prior to joining Nuggets, Unseld Jr. As an assistant coach for the Golden State Warriors and Orlando. He was also one of the finalists for Orlando who went to Moseley last week.
We Unseld Sr. , died a year ago. He was the NBA MVP in 1969 and won the NBA Finals MVP in 1978, leading Washington to the only NBA Championship.