The Hawks’ coaching staff will get a shake-up next season. Assistant Igor Kokoskov will become the new coach of Anadolu Efes, a Turkish professional basketball team in the Euroleague.
Kokoskov spent the past two seasons as the Hawks’ lead assistant, filling in when coach Quin Snyder was unavailable. But Kokoskov has plenty of years of experience.
He was the Suns’ head coach during the 2018-19 season and headed multiple national teams, including Georgia, Serbia and Slovenia. Kokoskov led the Slovenian national team, which included Luka Doncic, who has developed into a five-time NBA All-Star, to the EuroBasket title in 2017.
Kokoskov also was the first full-time European assistant in Division I of the NCAA while at Missouri. He also became the first foreign assistant coach to win an NBA title, doing so with the Pistons in 2004.
“Igor has been a tremendous coach and thought partner throughout my coaching tenure,” Snyder said in a statement provided to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “He is incredibly talented and his vast experience in the NBA and Euroleague make him a perfect fit for this opportunity and wish only the best.”
The Hawks may not look to fill the vacancy. Instead, they might distribute Kokoskov’s coaching duties among the remaining assistants on the staff, according to a person familiar with the situation.
Assistants still on staff include: Bryan Bailey, Mike Brey, Brittni Donaldson, Steve Klei, Antonio (Tony) Lang, Sanjay Lumpkin, Ryan Schmidt, Ekpe Udoh and Jeff Watkinson. The Hawks also have several player development and video coordinators, including Reggis Onwukamuche and Bryan George.
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