Mike D’Antoni and Ime Udoka are finalizing deals to become assistant coaches under Steve Nash with the Brooklyn Nets, according to Adrian Wojnarowski.
D’Antoni, 69, coached Nash, 46, on the “Seven Seconds or Less” offense with the Phoenix Suns in the mid-2000’s that went to back-to-back Western Conference Finals.
D’Antoni also coached Nash on the Los Angeles Lakers from 2012-2014, which were Nash’s last two seasons in the NBA.
D’Antoni, who parted ways with the Rockets after their elimination from the playoffs this season, ranks 20th all-time on the NBA’s head coaching wins list with 672.
Udoka, 43, meanwhile, spent seven years as an assistant under Gregg Popovich with the San Antonio Spurs before joining the Philadelphia 76ers’ staff as Brett Brown’s top assistant this past season.
He has been a candidate for several head coaching jobs in recent years.
Six-time All-Star and Nash’s teammate on the Suns, Amar’e Stoudemire, also agreed to a deal to join Nash’s staff as an assistant.
Former Nets interim head coach Jacque Vaughn is already in place as the Nets top assistant coach, so Nash has built a strong staff for his first season as head coach in the NBA.
The Nets have high expectations for next season, as they will be championship contenders with the return of a healthy Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving.
