The Charlotte Hornets have named Marlon Garnett, Nick Friedman and Norman Richardson as assistant coaches under head coach James Borrego.
The team has also promoted Jackson Simmons to Head Video Coordinator while Klint Carlson. And Daniel Dixon have been named Assistant Video Coordinators.
“I am excited to add Marlon and Norman to our staff, who both bring high-level professional experience as players and coaches. I’m also thrilled for Coach Friedman in his ascension to becoming an assistant coach on our staff after his work as a player development coach.” said Hornets Head Coach James Borrego. “We are looking forward to what they can bring to our group and are excited about what they will contribute to the development of our program here in Charlotte.”
Garnett is heading into his sixth season as an assistant coach after spending the previous three seasons as an assistant coach for the Atlanta Hawks from 2018-21. Prior to his tenure with Atlanta, he was an assistant coach/player development coordinator with the Phoenix Suns from 2016-18. During the 2015-16 season, Garnett was a player development and quality assurance assistant with the San Antonio Spurs as he served as the head coach at Union Academy in Monroe, NC, in 2014-15.
A long-time professional player, Garnett appeared in 24 games during the 1998-99 season with the Boston Celtics and played internationally in Turkey, Spain, Italy, Croatia, Iran, Puerto Rico and Slovakia. A Los Angeles native, he played collegiately at Santa Clara and was named West Coast Conference Player of the Year as a senior during the 1996-97 season.
Friedman receives a promotion after spending the last two seasons with the Hornets as a Player Development Coach where he served in a hybrid role with both the Hornets and Greensboro Swarm’s coaching staff. He previously worked for three years as a coach in the G League with the Rio Grande Valley Vipers, Main Red Claws and Norther Arizona Suns. Prior to his time in the G League, Friedman worked under the coaching staff at the University of Miami. The Massachusetts native attended Bates College where he was a member of the basketball team.
Richardson joins the Hornets after spending the 2020-21 season as an assistant coach for Charlotte’s G League affiliate, the Greensboro Swarm. Previously, he was an assistant coach for the Indiana Pacers affiliate, the Fort Wayne Mad Ants, for three seasons (2017-20). Prior to Fort Wayne, he broke into the NBA G League as an assistant coach with the former affiliate of the Orlando Magic, the Erie BayHawks, in 2016-17. His coaching background includes being a skills development coach for Findley Prep School in Henderson, Nevada, and an assistant coach at Agassi Prep High School in Las Vegas. Richardson’s coaching career began in Germany where he served as the head coach for TSV/Bietigheim from 2012-14.
Richardson was a four-year player for Hofstra (1997-01) and played professionally for the Indiana Pacers and Chicago Bulls in 2001-02. The Brooklyn native played professionally until 2010, including stops with former NBA Development League franchises (North Charleston Lowgators in 2003, Fayetteville Patriots in 2006) and overseas.
Simmons is promoted to Head Video Coordinator after serving as the team’s Assistant Video Coordinator for the last three seasons. He was the Director of Basketball Operations for Western Carolina during the 2017-18 season. A Webster, NC native, Simmons played four seasons at North Carolina from 2011-15.
Carlson and Dixon are both elevated to Assistant Video Coordinators after spending the 2020-21 season with the Hornets as Basketball Operations interns. An Iowa native, Carlson played basketball collegiately at Northern Iowa from 2013-18. Dixon spent three seasons in the G League as a player from 2017-20 after playing at William & Mary from 2013-17.
