Home FIBA Prunty to remain as Great Britain head coach

Prunty to remain as Great Britain head coach

Brooklyn Nets assistant coach Joe Prunty has agreed a new deal to coach Great Britain for the upcoming Eurobasket qualifiers.

Prunty made it official in a press conference held at the 02 Arena in London before the Nets face off against the Atlanta Hawks and the American is looking forward to the challenge.

“I’m definitely looking forward to it,” Prunty stated. “There are tasks at hand, meaning it’s a way’s a way there’s a lot that will take place between now and then. Looking forward to the challenge but there’s a lot of things to take place before that.”

In his first senior head coaching role, he led the Brits, who were without Cleveland Cavaliers forward Luol Deng and Portland Trailblazers’ Joel Freeland to a respectable 13th place at Eurobasket last summer in Slovenia with a 2-3 record.

Both players have publically said that they would return to international duty for the qualifiers.

Prunty is also open to having Charlotte Bobcats guard Ben Gordon, who despite getting his British passport in 2010 still hasn’t played a competitive game for GB and Los Angeles Clippers big man Byron Mullens who is eligible for the national side through his mother who was born in Middlesex.

“There is a GB family and that’s what we have stressed from the beginning,” Prunty explained. “We want to make sure we’re providing the best opportunity for everybody that’s involved in the programme. And it’s not going to change. If you’re a GB family member, why wouldn’t we [have them with the team]? It makes perfect sense to be part of it.”

Great Britain’s next task is to qualify for Eurobasket in 2015. The draw for the qualifying round will take place in Barcelona on February 3.

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