The Washington Wizards looked at several candidates to replace interim head coach Brian Keefe after he took over for Wes Unseld roughly half way through last season.
Apparently, they were sold on Keefe taking over in a full-time role despite posting an 8-31 record as the team’s interim.
ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported on Wednesday that the Wizards have indeed hired Keefe as their next head coach.
This might not be seen as a sexy hire for the Wizards. But front office head Michael Winger seemed to favor continuity over bringing in a fresh face outside of the organization.
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Keefe, 48, is highly respected around the NBA world. He began his coaching career as an assistant with the Oklahoma City Thunder from 2009-14. Keefe also spent time as an assistant with the New York Knicks, Los Angeles Lakers, Brooklyn Nets and Washington Wizards before earning the interim tag last season.
For Washington, this hiring comes at a crucial time. The team posted a 15-67 record this past season and has not made it out of the first round of the NBA Playoffs since all the way back in 2016-17.
These Wizards are slated to have the second pick in the upcoming 2024 NBA Draft. They also have to make decisions on veterans Kyle Kuzma and Jordan Poole, both of whom could be traded during the summer.