The Washington Wizards have snared their next coach, selecting former Denver Nuggets assistant Wes Unseld Jr., reports ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
Wes Unseld Jr., has agreed to a four-year deal to become the new head coach of the Washington Wizards, sources tell ESPN.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 17, 2021
Unseld Jr, replaces Scott Brooks who was last week named as a lead assistant coach with the Portland Trail Blazers.
The new Wizards coach is the son of the late Wes Unseld Sr. who played for and coached this Washington franchise over three decades. Unseld Sr. won the league MVP in 1969 as well as Finals MVP during the team’s one and only championship in 1978.
Unseld Jr. has spent the past 16 years as an assistant, initially with the Wizards, as well as the Golden State Warriors, Orlando Magic and Nuggets, where he has been credited in the development of Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray, and Michael Porter Jr.
He returns to a Wizards franchise starving for success with All-Star Bradley Beal, former MVP Russell Westbrook, and a list of young talent.
Unseld Jr. caps off an interesting offseason where all but one of the coaching vacancies was filled by a rookie coach, including the Blazers’ Chauncey Billups. Rick Carlisle was the only veteran coach to find a new gig with the Indiana Pacers.