Pelicans add Bob Beyer, Casey Hill, Rex Walters, Corey Brewer and Beno Udrih to coaching staff

The New Orleans Pelicans announced today the hiring of Bob Beyer, Casey Hill, and Rex Walters as assistant coaches, along with Corey Brewer and Beno Udrih as player development coaches. They join Assistant Coach Fred Vinson and Teresa Weatherspoon, who has been promoted to assistant coach, and Player Development Coach Darnell Lazare on Head Coach Stan Van Gundy’s staff.

“I am excited about our coaching staff,” said Van Gundy. “We have a great mix of background, experience, perspective and expertise. Four of our assistants have been head coaches at the professional or NCAA Division I levels. Five of our coaches played in the NBA or WNBA. Three coaches have institutional knowledge having worked for Griff, Trajan and current Pelicans players, while three others have worked with me and two bring us an entirely new perspective. I am looking forward to working with this staff to maximize the potential of our talented players.”

Bob Beyer joins the Pelicans bench with over 35 years of coaching experience at the NBA and collegiate levels. He was most recently an assistant coach on the Sacramento Kings staff during the 2019-20 season. Prior to joining the Kings, Beyer served as an assistant coach for the Oklahoma City Thunder during the 2018-19 season. Beyer has spent nine seasons on Stan Van Gundy’s coaching staff, including four seasons with the Detroit Pistons (2014-18) and five seasons with the Orlando Magic (2007-12), where he helped Orlando reach the postseason five consecutive times including a 2009 NBA Finals appearance. Beyer has also been an assistant coach for the Charlotte Bobcats (2013-14), Golden State Warriors (2012-13) and Toronto Raptors (2003-04). Before joining the NBA ranks, Beyer spent two seasons as an assistant coach at Texas Tech under Bob Knight from 2001-03. His college coaching experience also includes stints at the University of Albany, Siena College (head coach), University of Wisconsin, Northwestern University and University of Dayton.

Casey Hill enters his first season with the New Orleans Pelicans after spending the past two seasons as an assistant coach for the Los Angeles Clippers. Prior to joining Doc Rivers’ staff, Hill spent the 2017-18 season as head coach of the Clippers’ NBA G League affiliate, the Agua Caliente Clippers, leading the team to a 23-27 record in its inaugural season. Hill joined the Clippers after four seasons as head coach of the Santa Cruz Warriors, G League affiliate of the Golden State Warriors, where he led the franchise to its first-ever G League title in 2014-15. Hill and his staff in Santa Cruz earned the 2013-14 NBA G League “Development Champion” award, an annual honor that recognizes the team that best embodies the league’s goals of developing NBA basketball talent via call-ups and assignments. Prior to joining Santa Cruz staff, the Trinity University grad worked under his father, longtime NBA coach Bob Hill, with the Tokyo Apache, a professional team in Japan.

Fred Vinson begins his 11th season as an assistant coach in New Orleans. Prior to joining the Pelicans, Vinson was an assistant coach for the Los Angeles Clippers from 2007-09. In addition to his duties as an assistant coach, Vinson also served as director of player programs for the Clippers, where he was responsible for mentoring young players and easing their transition to the NBA. Vinson played 13 years of professional basketball, including two NBA seasons with the Atlanta Hawks and Seattle SuperSonics. In addition to playing in the United States Basketball League, Continental Basketball Association and American Basketball Association, Vinson spent several years overseas with professional clubs in the Philippines, Israel, Venezuela, Poland and France. In 2003, Vinson was a member of the CBA Champion Yakima Sun Kings, in addition to being named a CBA All-Star that season. He also holds the record for most points in a game in Guaiqueries de Margarita (Venezuela) team history with 53.

Rex Walters enters his first season with the Pelicans. Walters, who served as an assistant coach under Stan Van Gundy in Detroit during the 2017-18 season, most recently served as an assistant coach at Wake Forest University during the 2019-20 season. Prior to joining Van Gundy’s staff in 2017, Walters was the head coach of the Grand Rapids Drive, the NBA G League affiliate of the Detroit Pistons. At the collegiate level, Walters spent eight seasons (2008-16) as head coach at the University of San Francisco where he guided the Dons to two 20-win seasons and two postseason appearances. Walters was named West Coast Conference Coach of the Year in 2013-14, becoming the first USF coach to win the award since Pete Barry in 1980-81. He amassed a 126-125 (.501) record at USF. Prior to becoming head coach at USF, he served two seasons (2006-08) as head coach at Florida Atlantic University after being an assistant coach in the 2005-06 season. Walters has also served as an assistant coach on the collegiate level at the University of Nevada (2018-19) and Valparaiso (2003-05). Drafted 16th overall in the 1993 NBA Draft by New Jersey, the University of Kansas product played seven seasons with the Nets, Philadelphia, and Miami.

Teresa Weatherspoon returns for her second season with New Orleans after serving as a two-way player development coach in 2019-20. Prior to joining the Pelicans, Weatherspoon served as the director of player and franchise development with the WNBA’s New York Liberty from 2016-19. Weatherspoon served as the head coach at her alma mater, Louisiana Tech University, from 2009-14, leading the Lady Techsters to a 99-71 (.582) record over six seasons, making consecutive trips to the NCAA tournament in 2010 and 2011, and winning the WAC tournament in 2010. She initially joined the women’s basketball program at Louisiana Tech in the 2008-09 season, serving as associate head coach after serving as the head coach of the Westchester (NY) Phantoms of the American Basketball Association during the 2007-08 season. After a collegiate playing career at Louisiana Tech from 1984-88, where she helped lead her team to the 1988 NCAA National Championship during her senior campaign, Weatherspoon embarked on a 16-year playing career, beginning overseas with stops in Italy, France and Russia from 1988-1996, then joining the New York Liberty from 1997-03, and finishing her professional career as a member of the Los Angeles Sparks in 2004. In 254 career regular season games in the WNBA, Weatherspoon averaged 5.0 points, 5.3 assists, 3.1 rebounds and 1.8 steals while earning multiple accolades along the way, including back-to-back Defensive Player of the Year awards in 1997 and 1998, four consecutive All-WNBA Second Team nods from 1997-2000 and five straight All-Star appearances from 1999-2003. At the conclusion of her career, Weatherspoon was named one of the WNBA’s top 15 players of all time in 2011 and was a member of the WNBA Top 20@20 list in 2016. A 2010 inductee into the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame, Weatherspoon was recently enshrined into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Massachusetts as part of the 2019 class.

Corey Brewer joins the Pelicans as a player development coach after a 13-year NBA career. Selected seventh overall in the 2007 NBA Draft, Brewer holds career averages of 8.7 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 1.5 assists in 819 regular season games for Minnesota, Dallas, Denver, Houston, the Los Angeles Lakers, Oklahoma City, Philadelphia and Sacramento. Brewer averaged 11.3 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 2.8 assists during his three-year collegiate career and was a key member of the University of Florida’s back-to-back National Championship teams in 2006 and 2007, earning the NCAA Basketball Tournament Most Outstanding Player Award in 2007.

Darnell Lazare returns for his second season as player development coach with the Pelicans. Prior to joining the Pelicans, Lazare served as a player development coach and assistant video coordinator for the Memphis Grizzlies and previously served as an assistant coach for the NBA G League’s Iowa Energy. The Baton Rouge native played four years at Louisiana State University, where he appeared in 120 games and helped lead the Tigers to the 2006 Final Four. Lazare played professionally in the NBA G League for the Maine Red Claws, Fort Wayne Mad Ants, and Idaho Stampede, as well as overseas in Sweden, Ukraine, Australia, and the United Kingdom.

Beno Udrih joins the Pelicans organization as a player development coach after most recently serving as an assistant coach for the New York Knicks’ NBA G League affiliate, the Westchester Knicks, during the 2019-20 season. Selected 28th overall in the 2004 NBA Draft, the Slovenian native holds career averages of 8.4 points, 2.1 rebounds, and 3.4 assists in 831 regular season games for San Antonio, Sacramento, Milwaukee, Orlando, New York, Memphis, Miami and Detroit, winning two NBA Championships with the Spurs (2005, 2007). In addition to his 13-year NBA career, Udrih has played professionally in Israel, Russia, Italy, Lithuania, and his native Slovenia, winning multiple championships across Europe.

Brian Ormandy begins his fourth season as the Pelicans’ video coordinator after serving as the team’s assistant video coordinator from 2015-17. Prior to joining the Pelicans, Ormandy served as a video intern with the NBA Champion Golden State Warriors during the 2014-15 season and the Houston Rockets during the 2013-14 season. In 2012-13, Ormandy served as a graduate assistant coach for the men’s basketball team at Fairleigh Dickinson University.

Ormandy is joined by video assistants Nathan Bubes and Jon Tramer, who enter their second seasons with the Pelicans, along with player development assistant Brandon Demas, who begins his third season with the team.

Magic sign rookie forward Chuma Okeke, who was drafted in 2019

The Orlando Magic have signed rookie forward Chuma Okeke, President of Basketball Operations Jeff Weltman announced today.

Okeke (6’8”, 230, 8/18/98) was selected in the first round (16th overall) of the 2019 NBA Draft.

“We are thrilled to welcome Chuma (Okeke) to the team,” said Weltman. “He’s demonstrated all of the characteristics that we had seen in him when we drafted him and we look forward to him starting his career with us.”

He played and started in 38 games during the 2018-19 campaign as a sophomore at Auburn University, averaging 12.0 ppg., 6.8 rpg., 1.9 apg., 1.82 stlpg. and 1.21 blkpg. in 29.1 minpg., while shooting .387 (55-142) from three-point range. Okeke led the Tigers in rebounding, steals (third in the SEC) and blocked shots. He was named to the 2019 SEC All-Tournament Team and the 2019 All-Midwest Regional Team. Okeke helped the Tigers reach the 2019 NCAA Final Four, but sustained a season-ending knee injury (torn left ACL) during their Sweet Sixteen win against North Carolina. During that contest, he became the first Auburn player since 2000 and fifth ever to record 20+ points and 10+ rebounds in a NCAA Tournament game.

Okeke played in 72 career games (38 starts) during two seasons (2017-19) at Auburn University, averaging 9.9 ppg., 6.3 rpg., 1.5 apg. and 1.28 stlpg. in 25.5 minpg., while shooting .389 (89-229) from three-point range.

Clippers hire Dan Craig, Kenny Atkinson, Chauncey Billups, Larry Drew and Roy Rogers to coaching staff

The LA Clippers announced today that Associate Head Coach Dan Craig and Assistant Coaches Kenny Atkinson, Chauncey Billups, Larry Drew and Roy Rogers have joined Head Coach Tyronn Lue to complete the team’s coaching staff for the 2020-21 NBA season. Cam Hodges, Shaun Fein, Dahntay Jones and Beau Levesque will also be joining the organization in coaching and player development roles.

The Clippers have retained Assistant Coaches Jeremy Castleberry and Brendan O’Connor.

“We have assembled a strong and experienced group of coaches with diverse backgrounds and perspectives,” said Lue. “They will provide our players with every opportunity to improve individually and excel as a team. As coaches, their skillsets are different, but they are all great teachers with a passion for player development, who understand how to impart their knowledge. I couldn’t be more excited to get on the court with this group.”

Craig comes to L.A. following 17 seasons with the Miami Heat, which included four years as an assistant coach and one year as the head coach of Miami’s G League affiliate, the Sioux Falls Skyforce. Craig quickly rose through Miami’s coaching ranks after joining the franchise in 2003 as a video intern. Craig helped the Heat to six NBA Finals appearances, including three NBA Championships (2006, 2012, 2013). As head coach of the Skyforce in 2016, Craig led the team to its first G League title and was named G League Coach of the Year. The Chelmsford, Mass., native played collegiately at Plymouth State University.

Atkinson joins the Clippers after spending the last four seasons as the head coach of the Brooklyn Nets, leading the team to a postseason berth in 2018-19. Before the Nets, Atkinson spent four seasons as an assistant coach with the Atlanta Hawks, helping the franchise to four Playoffs appearances, including an Eastern Conference Finals trip in 2015. He was also an assistant coach with the New York Knicks and the Director of Player Development for the Houston Rockets. A native of Northport, N.Y., Atkinson played professionally for 14 years in the United States Basketball League and overseas. He was a standout collegiate player at the University of Richmond and was inducted into the school’s Hall of Fame in 2010.

A familiar face to Clipper Nation, Billups joins the bench after working in television as an NBA analyst for ESPN, and a Clippers game analyst for Prime Ticket. A five-time NBA All-Star, 2004 NBA Finals Champion and Finals MVP, Billups spent 16 seasons in the league, averaging 15.2 points and 5.4 assists in 1,043 career appearances with the Boston Celtics, Toronto Raptors, Denver Nuggets, Minnesota Timberwolves, Detroit Pistons, New York Knicks and Clippers. The Denver, Colo., native was named to three All-NBA teams (2006, 2007, 2009), two All-Defensive teams (2005, 2006) and had his jersey (#1) retired by the Pistons in 2016.

Drew joins the coaching staff with 28 seasons of experience as an NBA coach, most recently having spent six seasons with the Cleveland Cavaliers, including one year as the team’s head coach in 2018-19. As a Cavs assistant coach, he helped lead the franchise to four straight NBA Finals appearances (2015-18) and an NBA Championship in 2016. Before Cleveland, Drew served as the head coach of the Milwaukee Bucks and the Atlanta Hawks. In Atlanta, he compiled a 128-102 (.557) overall record and led the Hawks to the postseason in each of his three campaigns on the bench. Drew has also served as an assistant coach for the Hawks, New Jersey Nets, Washington Wizards, Detroit Pistons and Los Angeles Lakers. The Kansas City, Mo., native played 10 seasons in the NBA, appearing in 714 games with the Pistons, Sacramento Kings, Clippers and Lakers.

Rogers comes to the Clippers with 12 years of experience as an NBA assistant coach, having spent the 2019-20 campaign with the Chicago Bulls. Before that, Rogers spent three seasons as an assistant coach with the Houston Rockets, where he helped the team to four playoff series wins and an appearance in the Western Conference Finals in 2018. Rogers also served as an assistant coach for the Washington Wizards, Brooklyn Nets, Detroit Pistons, Boston Celtics and New Jersey Nets. A former NBA player, Rogers appeared in 137 games with the Vancouver Grizzlies, Boston Celtics, Toronto Raptors and Denver Nuggets.

Hodges begins his first season as a Clippers’ coaching associate, after spending the 2019-20 season with the Philadelphia 76ers and three seasons with the San Antonio Spurs. Hodges also spent one season as an intern with the Erie Bayhawks, the then-G League affiliate of the Orlando Magic.

Fein enters his first season as a Clippers player development coach, after spending the last four years with the Brooklyn Nets, most recently serving as the head coach of the Long Island Nets, Brooklyn’s G League affiliate. Throughout his time in Brooklyn, Fein worked in the Nets’ video department before becoming the team’s player development coordinator. Fein also spent two seasons with the Maine Red Claws, the Boston Celtics’ G League affiliate, as an assistant and player development coach.

Jones will serve as a player development and video coach for the Clippers. He was originally selected as the 20th overall pick by the Boston Celtics in the 2003 NBA Draft and went on to play 13 seasons in the NBA, winning a championship with the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2016. The Trenton, N.J., native appeared in 624 contests, including 33 with the Clippers, and averaged 5.4 points and 1.7 rebounds over his career with the Memphis Grizzlies, Sacramento Kings, Denver Nuggets, Indiana Pacers, Dallas Mavericks, Atlanta Hawks and Cavaliers.

Levesque joins the Clippers staff as a player development and video coach following two seasons with the Brooklyn Nets, most recently serving as the team’s assistant video coordinator/player development assistant. He previously worked as a graduate assistant for St. John’s University, where he helped with the team’s video operations, statistical analysis and scouting reports.

In addition to Castleberry, in his second season with the Clippers, and O’Connor, in his seventh, a number of staffers are returning. Among them, Dan Fitzpatrick has been promoted to Head Video Coordinator and Conor Dunleavy has been elevated to Assistant Video Coordinator.

Thunder reportedly close to trading Chris Paul to Suns

Veteran star NBA guard Chris Paul may be on the move from Oklahoma City to Phoenix.

According to ESPN reporter Adrian Wojnarowski, the Suns and Thunder are close to agreeing to a trade that would send CP3 to the Suns.

In return for Paul, the Thunder would reportedly receive Ricky Rubio, Kelly Oubre Jr., Ty Jerome, Jalen Lecque and a 2020 first round draft pick.

The Thunder finished 5th in the Western conference last season, but are apparently looking to rebuild.

The Suns tied with the Grizzlies for the 10th best record in the West last season, but are on the rise. By adding Paul, they’ll be adding to their age, but also to their experience and ability to compete for a playoff spot right away.

Paul is 35 years old, averaged 17.6 points, 5.0 rebounds and 6.7 assists per game last season. He’s on a very expensive contract that will pay him over $41 million in 2020-21, with a player option to make over $44 million in 2021-22.

Mavericks will reportedly hire Zach Guthrie as assistant coach

While the league prepares for the draft and a free agent frenzy like no other, coaching job news continues to roll out. Here’s the Desert News:

The shuffle on the Utah Jazz’s bench is reportedly continuing.

ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported Sunday morning that assistant coach Zach Guthrie is leaving to take an assistant role with the Dallas Mavericks. It would mark the fifth assistant coach transaction involving the Jazz this offseason, as Johnnie Bryant left for the New York Knicks, while Utah has hired Dell Demps, Keyon Dooling and Sergi Oliva.

Both the Mavs and Jazz made the playoffs this past season, and both should contend to do so in 2020-21.

Suns mentioned in Chris Paul trade talks

Here’s Arizona Sports with a quick Suns note as the league prepares to open up for signinigs, trades and all other transactions:

On Monday at 10 a.m. Mountain Time, the NBA trade freeze will be lifted and teams can begin to deal players, according to the New York Times’ Marc Stein…

The Phoenix Suns have been involved in trade rumors surrounding Oklahoma City Thunder guard Chris Paul. Such a deal, which would likely require Phoenix to send away Ricky Rubio and Kelly Oubre, would be allowed to be completed at that time should the two sides agree to a trade.

Months worth of NBA offseason moves are about to happen in the next few weeks.

Inside Hoops will be updating constantly.

Miami Heat hire Caron Butler as an assistant coach

The Miami Heat announced today that former first-round pick Caron Butler is returning to where his NBA career began and will become an assistant coach on Head Coach Erik Spoelstra’s staff.

Butler, who has spent the last several seasons working as an NBA television analyst, is the fourth former HEAT player currently on Spoelstra’s staff joining Chris Quinn and former teammates Malik Allen and Anthony Carter.

The 14-year NBA veteran whose career included an NBA Championship (2011 with Dallas) and a pair of All-Star appearances (2007 and 2008 with Washington) spent the first two years of his career with Miami.

“Caron has a remarkable personal story and is someone who is universally respected throughout the NBA for his character, dedication and work ethic,” said Spoelstra. “He brings a mental toughness and nearly 20 years of experience in the NBA as a player, broadcaster and media member that will make him a valuable asset to our coaching staff and players. Most importantly, he has Miami HEAT DNA having started this journey with us and we are excited to welcome him back home.”

Butler, who was the 10th overall pick of the 2002 NBA Draft, appeared in 146 games (134 starts) in his two seasons (2002-04) with the HEAT. He averaged 12.5 points, 5.0 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 1.45 steals and 33.5 minutes with Miami while shooting 40.2 percent from the floor and 80.2 percent from the foul line. He earned All-Rookie First Team honors following the 2002-03 season after leading the HEAT in points, field goals made and attempted, free throws made and attempted, steals and minutes played. A four-time NBA Eastern Conference Rookie of the Month, Butler still owns the HEAT rookie records for points scored (1,201), free throws made (309) and minutes played (2,858). He also appeared in 13 postseason games with Miami and averaged 12.8 points, 8.5 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 2.15 steals and 39.3 minutes while shooting 38.6 percent from the floor and 82.5 percent from the line. Butler was traded by the HEAT to the Lakers on July 14, 2004 along with Brian Grant, Lamar Odom and a first-round pick in the deal that brought Shaquille O’Neal to Miami.

In addition to Miami, Butler’s career included stops in Los Angeles with both the Lakers and Clippers, Washington, Dallas, Milwaukee, Oklahoma City, Detroit and Sacramento. He appeared in 881 regular season games (732 starts) and finished his career with averages of 14.1 points, 5.0 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 1.32 steals and 32.2 minutes while shooting 43.4 percent from the floor, 34.8 percent from three-point range and 84.7 percent from the line. He also appeared in 65 postseason contests (49 starts) and averaged 11.7 points, 5.3 rebounds, 1.6 assists, 1.12 steals and 31.4 minutes while shooting 39.9 percent from the floor, 28.6 percent from three-point range and 83.8 percent from the lone.

The Racine, WI native has served as a Turner Sports NBA analyst since 2018, including being featured on NBA TV’s signature studio show, NBA Game Time, and NBA on TNT’s PlayersOnly franchise. Most recently, he’s hosted the “NBA Together” initiative. He has also worked as a studio analyst for Spectrum SportsNet’s coverage of the Lakers and worked as an occasional game analyst for the Washington Wizards during the 2019-20 season. In addition, Butler hosted a podcast Tuff Juice with Caron Butler and in 2015 wrote an autobiography (Tuff Juice).

Bulls hire Maurice Cheeks, Josh Longstaff, John Bryant, Damian Cotter and Billy Schmidt as assistant coaches

The Chicago Bulls have announced the hires of Maurice Cheeks, Josh Longstaff, John Bryant, Damian Cotter and Billy Schmidt as assistant coaches on Head Coach Billy Donovan’s staff. Additionally, Henry Domercant, Ronnie Burrell, Ty Abbott and Max Rothschild were brought on as player development coordinators.

Hall of Famer Maurice Cheeks returns home to Chicago after completing his ninth total season with Oklahoma City, five in his second stint as an assistant on Billy Donovan’s staff from 2015-20, and four from 2009-13. He brings more than 40 years of NBA experience to the Bulls as both a player and a coach. Cheeks has amassed a head coaching record of 305-315 (.492) with the Detroit Pistons, Philadelphia 76ers and Portland Trail Blazers. He was head coach of the Pistons in 2013-14, and from 2005-09, he was at the helm of the 76ers. In Philadelphia, he posted a record of 122-147, securing a playoff appearance in the 2007-08 campaign. Prior to joining the Sixers, Cheeks spent three-plus seasons as head coach of the Portland Trail Blazers (2001-05). During his time in Portland, he posted a 162-139 (.538) mark, accounting for the seventh-highest win total in Blazers coaching history. He helped the Blazers reach the NBA Playoffs twice, and in 2002-03, tied for second in the Pacific Division with a 50-32 record. Before being head coach in Portland, Cheeks spent seven seasons as an assistant coach for the Sixers, and in 2000-01 he helped guide the 76ers to a record of 56-26 (.683) and a spot in the NBA Finals.

A 15-year NBA veteran, Cheeks was selected 36th-overall in the second round of the 1978 NBA Draft by the 76ers and retired from the NBA as its all-time leader in steals after playing with Philadelphia, San Antonio, New York, Atlanta and New Jersey. He was named to the NBA’s All-Defensive Team five times (First Team: 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986; Second Team: 1987) and played in four All-Star games (1983, 1986, 1987, 1988). A member of the 76ers’ 1983 World Championship team, Cheeks was honored by the club through having his number 10 retired. He was elected to the 2018 class of the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame. As an NBA player, Cheeks compiled career averages of 11.1 points, 6.7 assists and 2.10 steals in 1,101 games while shooting .523 from the field and .793 from the free throw line.

Longstaff joins the Bulls after spending the previous two seasons under Mike Budenholzer at the Milwaukee Bucks. He has 11 seasons of coaching experience in the NBA, and prior to becoming an assistant with the Bucks ahead of 2018-19, Longstaff was the head coach of the Erie BayHawks of the NBA G League for the 2017-18 season. As head coach of the BayHawks, Longstaff led Erie to a Southeast Division title and a 28-22 (.560) record before reaching the Eastern Conference Final. This marked the BayHawks’ first playoff appearance since the 2011-12 season and first-ever Eastern Conference Final appearance. Longstaff was awarded NBA G League Coach of the Month in January 2018 after leading the BayHawks to an 8-3 record. Prior to his time as head coach with Erie, Longstaff was an assistant coach with the New York Knicks for three seasons from 2014-17. He began his career in the NBA with the Oklahoma City Thunder in 2010 as a player personnel and video coordinator before being promoted to video analyst and player development coach. While Longstaff was with Oklahoma City, the Thunder made the playoffs all four seasons, including two appearances in the Western Conference Finals and one appearance in the NBA Finals. A native of Portland, Maine, Longstaff played collegiately at Bryant University in Rhode Island, and following his graduation in 2005, he coached high school basketball in Maine for five years, including two years as a varsity head coach. Longstaff and his wife, Kerri, recently welcomed their first child, Leo.

Bryant comes to Chicago after spending four seasons with the Philadelphia 76ers, the last two with the title of assistant coach. He joined Philadelphia in 2016 as a player development coach after completing the two prior seasons as an assistant coach with the Delaware Blue Coats of the NBA G League. During those two seasons, he was also an assistant coach with the Nigeria men’s national team, which won the 2015 African Championship and competed in the 2016 Rio Olympics. Currently, he also serves as an assistant coach with the Angola men’s national team, which recently competed in the 2019 FIBA World Cup in China. Bryant served as associate head coach and head strength and conditioning coach with the Bakersfield Jam of the G League for three seasons before joining Delaware. Prior to his coaching career, he played professionally in the NBA G League with Bakersfield, as well as in Australia, England, Germany and the ABA. Bryant played his collegiate ball at St. Joseph’s University from 2001-05, where he started on the 2003-04 team that went 27-0 in the regular season and reached the Elite Eight. He is married to Allison, and they have three children: Miles, Vera and Moses.

Cotter was head coach of the Windy City Bulls in 2019-20 after being the lead assistant coach at the G League’s Capital City Go-Go in 2018-19 and with the Long Island Nets in 2017-18. The Australian native has 10 years of FIBA coaching experience with Australia, including five World Championships and the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. Cotter began his coaching career in 2000 as head coach of the Knox Raiders Senior Men’s Team in the South East Australian Basketball League. From 2007-14, he moved up to the New South Wales Institute of Sport in Sydney and was a head coach there. From 2006-13, he was involved with the Australian Junior Men’s Team as an assistant coach and then head coach, before joining the Australian Senior Women’s Team as an assistant coach from 2013-16.

Schmidt joins the Bulls after serving the past five seasons with the Thunder as a director of quality control. Previously, he had spent two decades coaching at the collegiate level, including the 2014-15 season at the University of Florida under Billy Donovan as assistant to the head coach. Before Gainesville, Schmidt spent the prior three seasons at Georgia Tech and eight seasons at the University of Dayton. During his tenure at Dayton, Schmidt was named associate head coach prior to the start of the 2009-10 season. During his eight seasons with Dayton, he helped lead the Flyers to 172 victories, two NCAA Tournament appearances and three NIT berths. He moved to Dayton after nine seasons coaching in the SEC, Big East and Big Ten. Schmidt also worked at Seton Hall and Michigan. A native of Stamford, Conn., he began his coaching career in the high school ranks, serving as an assistant coach to Steve Smith at Oak Hill Academy in Mouth of Wilson, Virginia, for two years (1992-94). During his tenure, Oak Hill won back-to-back national championships. Schmidt comes to Chicago with his wife, Caroline.

Domercant was previously an assistant coach for the Windy City Bulls for two seasons from 2018-20. Originally from the Chicago area, he attended Naperville North High School before playing college basketball at Eastern Illinois from 1999-2003. A professional career that started in Europe and spanned from 2003 to 2015 – including an All-Euroleague team selection in 2011 and three European domestic league championships – culminated in a return to the USA in 2015-16 with the G League’s Idaho Stampede. His transition into coaching started with an assistant position for the Maine Red Claws in 2017-18 before returning to Chicagoland to join Windy City. Domercant and his wife, Alexandra, have two children: Gabrielle and Canon.

Burrell was an assistant coach with the Long Island Nets in 2019-20 and was a player development and video assistant for the Brooklyn Nets in the 2018-19 season. He also coached at IMG Academy in the summer of 2018 and Florida Atlantic University from 2016-18, where he earned a Master of Business Administration in Sports Management. He graduated from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro and played professionally overseas.

Abbott has previous player development experience with the Philadelphia 76ers during the 2019-20 season and the Delaware Blue Coats in 2018-19. The Arizona State University graduate played basketball professionally in the G League and overseas.

Rothschild was previously a player development associate with the 76ers during the 2019-20 season. He played college basketball at Penn, graduating in 2019, and was a two-time captain of the team. The Chicago native played high school basketball for the University of Chicago Laboratory School before prepping for a year at New Hampton.

New Orleans Pelicans reveal new City Edition uniforms

The New Orleans Pelicans today unveiled their latest City Edition uniform, which is heavily inspired by the municipal flag of New Orleans. The Pelicans will begin wearing these uniforms during the 2020-21 season.

DESCRIPTION OF PELICANS CITY EDITION UNFORMS, PER THE TEAM

The City Edition jersey mirrors the flag of New Orleans, featuring a large white base with three gold fleur-de-lis across the chest, bordered by a red stripe and blue stripe. The color scheme and design dates back to 1918 when the official flag was adopted by the City of New Orleans.

A city and team that prides itself on perseverance, strength and resilience, the 2020-21 Pelicans’ City Edition uniform represents the people of New Orleans that exemplify those characteristics every day.

“These jerseys embody who we are and why we love New Orleans,” said Pelicans President Dennis Lauscha. “Our fans never stop fighting and neither do we. We are proud to wear these jerseys to represent New Orleans on a national stage and can’t wait to see our fans support their home team in this City Edition look.”

The waistband of the shorts features the Pelicans traditional “Fleur-De-Lis” logo. In addition, the uniform sports “NOLA” in gold font across the blue stripe on the shorts.

Charlotte Hornets reveal new City Edition basketball court design

The Charlotte Hornets today unveiled a new City Edition court design that will be used for games in which the Hornets wear the corresponding City Edition uniform at Spectrum Center during the 2020-21 season.

After having a Classic Edition court during the last three seasons, the Hornets will now have a City Edition court for the first time.

DESRIPTION OF THE COURT PER THE HORNET

Like the City Edition uniform, the court features a mint, gold and granite color scheme that celebrates Charlotte’s history as home of the first U.S. Branch Mint and the Carolina Gold Rush of the early 1800s, while also incorporating the state rock of North Carolina.

Highlights of the design include:

The court features the “Buzz City” logo at center court outlined in gold and mint.

A tonal mint-colored cell pattern fills the area between the three-point line and free-throw lane.

A gold and graphite version of the secondary logo appears inside the three-point lines.

The free-throw lane is graphite with gold lines.

The court apron is graphite with gold accents on the home time end of the court and mint accents on the visiting team end.

A “coin-ridged” stripe matching the pinstripes on the City Edition uniform runs throughout the apron.

The baseline near the home bench says “Charlotte” in gold and the baseline near the visiting bench says “Hornets” in mint.

The apron has a gold “C” in the official team font at center court, similar to the waistband of the City Edition shorts and reminiscent of the “C” that appeared on coins from the Charlotte Mint.

The gold “C” on the apron is flanked by the word “Trade” in gold across from the home bench and the word “Tryon” in mint across from the visiting team bench, representing Trade and Tryon Streets, the major intersection two blocks away from Spectrum Center at the heart of Uptown Charlotte that divides the area’s four wards.

A pair of Spectrum Center logos continue to live outside the three-point lines.

The Novant Health logo will continue to appear on the apron in front of each bench.