OKLAHOMA CITY – After the NBA draft, Oklahoma City Thunder fans got a glimpse of the players who will be on the hardwood next season.
Now, they’re getting a look at the coaches.
The Oklahoma City Thunder named Monty Williams, Maurice Cheeks and Anthony Grant as assistant coaches. Billy Schmidt was also named a quality control coach.
Organizers say they will join Mark Bryant and Darko Rajakovic as assistants, along with shooting coach Adam Harrington and Vin Bhavnani, who will return as manager of advance scouting/ player development.
“I’m really excited about the vast experience that this staff will bring to our team,” said Thunder head coach Billy Donovan. “The opportunity to bring these coaches together will help us work towards our goal of having a defensive identity, sharing the ball and playing efficiently on both ends. The group delivers an incredible set of individual skills, knowledge and background on the table, and I believe that the impact of their collective efforts will be very beneficial as we continue to build the tradition of the Thunder.”
Williams spent five seasons as the head coach of the New Orleans Pelicans. This past year, he helped the Pelicans get to their first playoff berth since the 2010 season. Before his time as the Pelicans’ head coach, he spent five seasons as an assistant coach with the Portland Trail Blazers.
Cheeks, who spent four seasons on the Thunder bench, is returning to Oklahoma after serving as the head coach of the Detroit Pistons. After spending 15 years in the NBA, Cheeks retired as the league’s all-time leader in steals. He helped lead the 76ers to the 1983 NBA Championship.
Grant served as the head coach of the University of Alabama’s men’s basketball team from 2009- 2015. This isn’t Grant’s first time working with Donovan. He served as an assistant coach under Donovan at the University of Florida from 1996- 2006.
Schmidt made his way to the Thunder after spending last season as Donovan’s assistant at Florida. Prior to that, Schmidt was an assistant coach at Georgia Tech for three seasons and spent eight seasons with the University of Dayton.
Earlier this year, Billy Donovan was named head coach of the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Donovan is the third head coach of the Oklahoma City Thunder, following Scott Brooks, who was let go by team.
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