The Wizards are on the verge of hiring Nuggets assistant coach Wes Unseld Jr. as the franchise’s next head coach, according to multiple reports Friday. A deal is expected to be completed in the next few days.
Unseld Jr., the son of NBA Hall of Famer Wes Unseld, previously spent 15 years with the Wizards organization, starting as a scout in 1997 and working his way up to an assistant coach. He served one year as an assistant coach for the Warriors and three years in the same role for the Magic before joining Denver in 2015.
On the Washington sidelines, Unseld Jr. will be following in his father’s footsteps. Unseld, who led Washington to its only championship during the 1977-78 season as a player, also served as the franchise’s head coach for seven seasons and later the GM for seven more.
In June, the Wizards parted ways with Scott Brooks, who served as the team’s head coach for five seasons, compiling a 183-207 record with three playoff appearances. The franchise failed to live up to lofty expectations this past season, underwhelming with a 34-38 record despite its dynamic backcourt duo of Bradley Beal and Russell Westbrook.