The Philadelphia 76ers officially hired Nick Nurse to be the franchise’s 26th head coach back on June 1. The move was met with praise from most pundits and fans since they had a front-row seat to watch Nurse turn the Toronto Raptors into one-time world champions.
Now the former college point guard is leading the Sixers into a new era of basketball. First, Nurse had to round out his coaching staff which he did with gusto on September 5 in a lengthy press release released by the team.
“Assembling a great staff with a rich collection of experience was paramount on my to-do list this summer,” Nurse said in a statement. “I’m proud to have built many relationships in our league that have led me to feel as confident as I am in every member of this group. I can’t wait to get to work as we embark on our journey toward an NBA title.”
coaching staff ✔️. pic.twitter.com/OwZnbdanEL
— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) September 5, 2023
Nurse will roll with 15 coaches for the 2023-34 season, highlighted by top assistants Bryan Gates, Bobby Jackson, Rico Hines, Matt Brase, Coby Karl, and Doug West. Mike Longabardi will serve in a dual role as assistant coach for the Sixers and head coach of the Delaware Blue Coats. Let’s dig into the list a bit.
Bryan Gates: The 15-year NBA coaching veteran is entering his first with Philadelphia after stops in Phoenix, Minnesota, Sacramento, and New Orleans. He earned back-to-back G League Coach of the Year awards in 2007 and 2008 while leading the Idaho Stampede.
Bobby Jackson: The former NBA Sixth Man of the Year (2003) joins the Sixers following two seasons in charge of the G League’s Stockton Kings. Before that, Jackson was an assistant for the Sacramento Kings and a player development coach for the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Rico Hines: The 45-year-old was one of Nurse’s top assistants in Toronto last season after eight seasons of coaching experience at the NBA level, including stops in Sacramento and Golden State. Hines, a former assistant to Steve Lavin at St. John’s, may best be known for his epic summer pick-up games at UCLA.
Matt Brase: Adding an international flair to the staff, Brase heads to Philly after serving as head coach of Haiti men’s national basketball team and Pallacanestro Varese in the Italian Lega Basket Serie A. Prior to that, the one-time basketball operations intern — and grandson to legendary college coach Lute Olson — held roles with the Portland Trail Blazers and Houston Rockets.
Coby Karl: The son of Hall of Famer George Karl, the 40-year-old has carved out a nice reputation for himself in the Sixers’ organization. He guided the Delaware Blue Coats to a 42-22 record during his three years at the helm while becoming the first coach to ever lead a G League team to both a G League title and the Showcase Cup crown.
Michael Longabardi: The 50-year-old brings 20 seasons of NBA coaching experience to Philly, including championship stints as an assistant with the Boston Celtics (2008) and Cleveland Cavaliers (2016). Longabardi, who earned the moniker “Mr. Defense” during his time at Newberry College, served on Atlanta’s coaching staff last year.
Doug West: This will mark West’s first foray into the professional coaching ranks. The 12-year NBA veteran has plenty of local ties stemming from his four-year run at Villanova University (1985-89), plus his high school career at Altoona Area.
We asked Sixers Assistant Coach & Villanova star Doug West about Ben Simmons saying he'd be happy to be traded back to Philly.
— Darren DeGaetano (@DarrenDegaetano) August 31, 2023
His response? "I thought it was a joke."
Hear the full interview on an all new Mike Missanelli podcaat to be released tomorrow!@MikeMiss25 @BetRivers
John Corbacio: He follows Nurse to Philadelphia following several years in the Toronto organization. Corbacio started on the Raptors’ video staff in 2017 before being promoted to assistant coach in 2019.
Fabulous Flournoy: He follows Nurse to Philadelphia after four seasons in Toronto as an assistant video coordinator and player development coach. Flournoy was a star in the British Basketball League (BBL) during his playing days where he retired as the all-time leader in assists, steals, and blocked shots.
Jason Love: He returns for his fifth season with the Sixers, starting as a skill development associate before being elevated to skill development coach.
Tony DiLeo: The 33-year-old is entering his third season with the Sixers as a member of the player development staff. He is the son of Tony DiLeo who served as head coach of the Sixers for half a season after Maurice Cheeks was fired.
Terrell Harris: He’ll be making his professional coaching debut after winning a championship with the Miami Heat as a player in 2012.
Toure Murry: He served as a player development coach for the Rio Grande Valley Vipers of the G League last season after 10 years of professional playing experience, including stops in New York, Utah, and Washington, as well as several teams overseas.
Reggie Redding: The Philly native is entering his third year as a member of the Sixers’ player development department. Prior to that, Redding played four years at Villanova University before enjoying a 10-year professional career in Europe.
Kareen Thawer: He follows Nurse to Philly following one season in the Toronto Raptors’ video department. He also served as an assistant coach at the University of Toronto.
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