NBA
Washington Wizards Hire Brian Keefe As Next Head Coach
Updated26 Jun 2024
The Washington Wizards have named Brian Keefe as their next head coach, the team announced on Wednesday. Keefe becomes the 26th head coach in the Wizards' history.
Brian Keefe Becomes Next Head Coach Of The Wizards
Official: Brian Keefe has been named the 26th Head Coach in franchise history.
📰 Read more: https://t.co/3WA0VWUSCz pic.twitter.com/D0lv8w5lck
— Washington Wizards (@WashWizards) May 29, 2024
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Keefe joined the Wizards as an assistant in July 2023. On January 25, 2024, Keefe was named the interim head coach after Wes Unseld Jr. transitioned to a role in the front office.
“I am grateful to Michael [Winger] and Will for the opportunity to lead the Washington Wizards,” Keefe said in a statement. “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.”
As the interim coach, Keefe went 8-31, finishing with an overall record of 15-67.
Despite the poor record, the Wizards steadily improved, especially on the defensive side of the ball, holding opponents to the second-lowest 3-point percentage in the league at 34.5%.
Keefe has been a coach in the NBA for 16 years, working as an assistant for the Seattle SuperSonics/Oklahoma City Thunder (2007-2015, 2019-2020), New York Knicks (2015-2016), Los Angeles Lakers (2016-2019), and Brooklyn Nets (2021-2023).
Washington Wizards Looking To Rebuild
The Wizards are looking to rebuild their organization from the ground up.
The Wizards have not qualified for the postseason since 2020-2021. Washington has not won a playoff series since the 2017 playoffs.
Washington will likely seek trades for some of their more valuable players, including Kyle Kuzma.
The Wizards own two first-round picks in the 2024 NBA Draft, including the No. 2 overall selection. The Wizards also have two second-round picks.
