The Brooklyn Nets have a new head coach, and in a major surprise, it is not the guy everyone presumed would be Steve Nash’s successor. The team announced on Wednesday after that Jacque Vaughn, who has been filling in as the team’s interim head coach since Nash and the team mutually parted ways, will become the team’s head coach.
“Jacque’s basketball acumen, competitiveness and intimate knowledge of our team and organization make him the clear-cut person to lead our group moving forward,” Nets general manager Sean Marks said in a statement. “He has a proven ability to get the best out of our players, hold them accountable and play a cohesive, team-first style of basketball.”
According to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, Vaughn will get a contract through next season as part of the move.
Jacque Vaughn’s promotion to Brooklyn Nets coach comes with a deal through the 2023-2024 season, sources tell ESPN.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) November 9, 2022
In the immediate aftermath of Nash’s ouster, multiple reports indicated that Brooklyn planned on hiring suspended Boston Celtics head coach Ime Udoka to fill the same role. Udoka, a former assistant under Nash, is not currently at the helm of the Celtics due to an alleged affair with a female staffer, and it is believed that Boston would let him leave for another job.
But as the days went on and the Nets’ focus became dealing with Kyrie Irving’s repeated refusal to denounce antisemitism, Udoka did not get the job, while Vaughn continued to fill in. And earlier this week, Marc Stein reported that there were “strong voices” advising Brooklyn owner Joe Tsai against hiring Udoka.
Vaughn previously served as the head coach of the Orlando Magic.