Having lost Becky Hammon, who left to train the Las Vegas Aces in the WNBA, Gregg Popovich had to find a new assistant for his staff. Mission successful with the return of a former member of the house, Brett Brown.
The departure of Dejounte Murray to the Hawks and the tanking plan that will follow for the 2022-23 season had worried the fans but the latter can be reassured, Gregg Popovich should be there at the start of the school year on the San Antonio bench. Far from being annoyed by this reconstruction project, the local guru still takes as much pleasure in coaching his players. Mike Finger who follows the Spurs for the San Antonio Express-News revealed that the coach would still be as motivated and that he would even “feel like he came back to Pomona-Pitzer”. As a reminder, this is the college team that Pop coached for eight years before settling down in the NBA. Who says new season in Texas says operational staff and there was precisely a place to take since the departure of Becky Hammon. Popovich has therefore made a few phone calls and it is Brett Brown who will assist the local legend. An info confirmed by Adrian Wojnarowski ofESPN.
Brett Brown has agreed to return to San Antonio to join Gregg Popovich’s staff as an assistant coach, sources tell ESPN. Brown spent 2007-2013 on Popovich’s staff before becoming the 76ers coach. They’ve maintained a close relationship.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 30, 2022
If Brett Brown is known for his recent work on the Philadelphia side, with the Process period and the rise of Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons, we must not forget that he comes from the Spurs academy. After a brief stint in 1998 before heading to Australia to coach, Brown returned to Texas in 2002 to help develop young players. Four years later, he was appointed assistant to Gregg Popovich. A position he will keep until 2013 and his departure for the City of Brotherly Love. So he’s a Fort Alamo historical coming home and someone who has all of Pop’s confidence.. The Woj’ also specifies in his tweet that the two men have always maintained an excellent relationship despite Brown’s departure to Philly. This is precisely what Popovich said when he found his former assistant. Comments transcribed by Tim MacMahon from ESPN.
“I am delighted to have been able to hire such a good coach, such a good person and such a good dinner partner. »
Du Popovich in the text. Now that he’s won everything, Pop’ just enjoys his life training young kids and remaking the world around a good glass of wine with the people he’s close to. The quote is just magical. By returning to the AT&T Center, Brett Brown will try to relaunch himself thanks to an institution he knows perfectly well and his ability to work with young people should quickly be put to use. While Popovich’s future remains unclear (retirement in a year?), Brett Brown might logically be added to the long list of potential successors to Pop‘. By being already there, his file can only earn points.
Brett Brown signs his return to San Antonio and he will assist Gregg Popovich next season. The Spurs might hardly find a better man to start their “Process”. With Victor Wembanyama as the ultimate goal, of course.
Source texte : ESPN / Adrian Wojnarowski et Tim MacMahon, San Antonio Express-News / Mike Finger