The longtime NBA assistant coach finally has the word “interim” taken off his title.
On Wednesday, the Washington Wizards named Brian Keefe their head coach. Keefe was the Wizards’ interim head coach since last January when then-head coach Wes Unseld, Jr. was transferred to the front office. Unseld has since moved onto the Chicago Bulls to be a lead assistant coach.
Keefe is credited for helping the Wizards improve defensively, especially from the three point line since he was named the interim head coach. Washington had the second lowest opposing three point percentage in the NBA in all games where he was the interim head coach.
In addition to his performance last season, Keefe was an assistant coach for 16 years with various teams, including the Seattle SuperSonics/Oklahoma City Thunder (2007-14 and 2019-20) as well as a video coordinator with the San Antonio Spurs from 2005-07 where he won a championship in 2006-07.
Here is what Wizards General Manager Will Dawkins said about the hire in a team-issued press release:
We are excited for Brian to become our next head coach. Brian is a proven motivator and connector of people. 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.
And here is Keefe’s statement regarding the move.
I am grateful to [Monumental Basketball President] Michael [Winger] and Will for the opportunity to lead the Washington Wizards. 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.
When Keefe took the role as interim head coach last January, the Wizards pledged to do a national search for a head coach, but they ultimately went back to the man who held the interim role all along. And oddly enough, there were no reports of any confirmed interviews before this news. Regardless, it was going to take a lot for any outsider to beat Keefe in this process. According to Josh Robbins of The Athletic, Washington interviewed four to six candidates before deciding to continue with Keefe.
Let us know your thoughts about Keefe becoming the full-time Wizards head coach in the comments below.