Mike D’Antoni was expected to be a hot candidate on the head coaching market after he parted ways with the Houston Rockets, but he is officially taking a step down in the ranks for the 2020-21 season.
D’Antoni has agreed to a deal to become an assistant coach under Steve Nash with the Brooklyn Nets, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reports. Former Philadelphia 76ers assistant Ime Udoka will also be working under Nash.
Nash has no previous NBA coaching experience, but he has quickly assembled a respectable staff around him. In addition to D’Antoni and Udoka, Nash’s former Phoenix Suns teammate Amar’e Stoudemire has also joined the staff.
Nash played for D’Antoni for several seasons when D’Antoni was the head coach of the Suns, so there is an obvious connection between the two.
D’Antoni was considered a candidate for the 76ers head coaching job, but that was before Doc Rivers was fired by the Los Angeles Clippers and landed in Philly. He should be a tremendous asset for Nash in Nash’s first season as an NBA head coach.
