Wizards name Wes Unseld Jr, son of former star, as coach

WASHINGTON: Wes Unseld Jr. was named coach of the NBA’s Washington Wizards on Saturday and will guide a club he grew up around as the son of a former player, coach and executive.

Unseld Jr., has spent the past 16 NBA seasons as an assistant coach and gets his first head coaching chance on the same team where his late father, Wes Sr., was a Hall of Fame center, former coach, general manager and vice president.

“Becoming a head coach in the NBA is a goal I’ve pursued my entire adult life and to have that dream realized by coming full circle back to Washington is truly special,” Unseld Jr. said. “I look forward to... connecting with our fans and establishing a new standard for Wizards basketball.”

The Wizards parted ways with coach Scott Brooks when his contract expired last month after Washington lost to Philadelphia in the first round of the playoffs following a 34-38 campaign, their third straight losing season.

“Wes is one of the most highlyregarded assistant coaches in the NBA and clearly separated himself from the large and diverse group of candidates we considered,” Wizards general manager Tommy Sheppard said.

“His strong record as an ingame tactician along with his attention to detail on both sides of the ball, combined with his reputation for player development and outstanding character, left no doubt that he was the best choice to guide our team to the next level.”

Unseld Jr. was a Wizards assistant from 2005-2011 and had stints with Golden State and Orlando before spending the past six seasons in Denver.

Unseld Jr. was a key figure in the development of Nikola Jokic, the Serbian center named this season’s NBA Most Valuable Player.

Unseld Sr., who died last year, was the 1969 NBA MVP and helped spark Washington to the 1978 NBA title. — AFP