Brooklyn Nets Tap Jacque Vaughn To Replace Steve Nash As New Head Coach
The Brooklyn Nets named Jacque Vaughn head coach on Wednesday (Nov. 9) to replace former coach Steve Nash.
“He's been a part of this Brooklyn Nets family for quite some time,” Nets general manager Sean Marks said of Vaughn during a Wednesday press conference.
Marks added that “JV,” as Vaughn is known, was the right fit for several reasons. The general manager said he has known Vaughn for years and the players have a “connection” with him.
Further, Vaughn has “been a part of this culture and what we've been building here over the years,” Marks explained.
ESPN reports that Vaughn served as interim head coach after Nash and the Nets mutually agreed to part ways on Nov. 1 following the team’s poor 2-5 start in the new NBA season.
Vaughn’s deal with the Nets runs through the 2023-24 season. He was previously the team’s head coach for 10 regular season games during the 2019-20 season and also served as an assistant coach.
Vaughn chalked up a victory against cross-town rivals New York Knicks 112-85 in his first game as the team’s official head coach. It marked the Nets’ third win in four games.
“Jacque’s basketball acumen, competitiveness and intimate knowledge of our team and organization make him the clear-cut best person to lead our group moving forward,” Marks said in a statement. “He has a proven ability to get the best out of our players, hold them accountable and play a cohesive, team-first style of basketball.”
Nets player Joe Harris also applauded Vaughn’s promotion.
“JV is a great coach. Having played in the NBA for a while, been a coach in the league for a while, having experience as head coach, having a lot of experience as an assistant, he’s seen a lot,” Harris told The New York Daily News during Wednesday’s shootaround. “He’s kind of fine-tuned what his approach is and he really just simplifies the game.
Before announcing Vaughn’s promotion to head coach, the Nets were reportedly finalizing a deal to hire suspended Boston Celtics coach Ime Udoka. The Celtics suspended Udoka for the 2022-23 season for an improper relationship with a subordinate before training camp.
