The Washington Wizards have finally hired their new head coach, and they didn’t have to look very far to find him. On Wednesday, the Wizards announced they had named Brian Keefe as head coach.
Brian Keefe was appointed interim head coach on January 25, 2024, following the transition of then-head coach Wes Unseld Jr. to the front office. Before this, Keefe served as the team’s lead assistant coach in his first season with Washington.
Under Keefe’s leadership as the interim head coach, the team’s performance showed promise, particularly on the defensive end. Despite a win-loss record of 8-31, the Wizards demonstrated significant improvement, holding opponents to the league’s second-lowest three-point percentage (34.5%).
The 48-year-old becomes the 26th head coach in the organization’s history, and Keefe looks forward to the opportunity to lead the Wizards.
“I am grateful to Michael [Winger] and Will for the opportunity to lead the Washington Wizards,” said Keefe in a press release. “I look forward to continuing to work with our players and helping them grow and develop. As a team, we are committed to a collaborative approach to build an environment of accountability and hard work that allows us to improve every day.”
Wizards GM Will Dawkins believes Keefe is the right guy to move this franchise forward.
“We are excited for Brian to become our next head coach. Brian is a proven motivator and connector of people,” said Dawkins in a press release. “As a leader in the organization, he will continue to positively grow and invest into the development of our players. His wealth of experience will help move our team forward as we build for long-term sustained success.”
Throughout his 16-year NBA coaching career, he has been influential in the development and evolution of the careers of multiple All-Stars, All-NBA, and MVP caliber players, with stops in Brooklyn (2021-2023), Oklahoma City (2019-20 and 2007-2014), Los Angeles (2016-2019), and New York (2014-2016). Known for his extensive background in player development, multiple Wizards players improved in various statistical categories under Keefe’s guidance as interim head coach.
He started his NBA career as a video coordinator with the San Antonio Spurs in 2005. During his second season, the team won the 2007 NBA championship.
Washington, who has picks number 2, 26, and 51 in this year’s draft, was 15-67 last season.
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