With Scott Brooks set to leave the Washington Wizards, the team is moving quickly to identify replacement candidates. And one name beginning to make the rounds has strong ties to the team’s history.
According to Wizards insider Ben Mehic, Denver Nuggets assistant coach Wes Unseld Jr. may be “a prime candidate” for Washington. Unseld has over 15 years of experience as an NBA assistant, but his surname is legendary in team history.
Unseld’s father, the late-great Wes Unseld, was one of the greatest players in Washington basketball history. Over a 13-year career, Wes Unseld would earn five All-Star appearances, the 1969 NBA MVP award and many other accolades.
Perhaps most notably, Wes Unseld led the franchise to their first NBA title in 1978. His No. 41 jersey was retired after his career ended, and he later spent several years as the franchise’s head coach and general manager.
Wes Unseld Sr. was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1988. He passed away in 2020.
A source close to Tommy Sheppard’s thinking believes Denver Nuggets assistant coach Wes Unseld Jr. will be a prime candidate for the Wizards.
The ties to D.C are obvious — but more importantly, Unseld Jr. has earned a golden reputation for player development and defense.
— Ben Mehić (@BenMehicNBA) June 16, 2021
Wes Unseld Jr. never played professional basketball himself. But he picked up where his father left off in Washington, working under his father for several years before becoming an assistant coach in 2005.
Since then, Unseld has worked for Washington, the Golden State Warriors, Orlando Magic and Nuggets as an assistant. He has earned a reputation for player development and defensive prowess.
There are likely to be many candidates for the Washington Wizards coaching job. But Unseld definitely appears qualified for the job.
Who would you pick to replace Scott Brooks as the Wizards head coach?
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