Wes Unseld talking defense as he takes over Wizards job
Unseld: The defensive side of the ball has been an issue here. It boils down to buy-in and commitment.
Noah Trister | The Associated Press
July 21, 2021 1:54 AM
Wes Unseld lays down an early marker for his approach toward helming the Wizards in the coming season.
WASHINGTON (AP) Wes Unseld Jr.’s path to this point was a bit different than his father’s.
The elder Unseld led Washington to an NBA title as a player before later taking over as coach. Unseld Jr. had a more modest playing career, but his experience as an assistant with multiple teams helped him earn a shot at coaching the Wizards.
NBA: Unseld s say on staff, Wizards draft and strategy
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Wizards New Coach Wes Unseld Jr Arrives in D C With Defense in Mind
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Unseld may have gotten in the door of the NBA because of his father, but as he sat inside Capital One Arena as the Wizards’ newest coach, the team’s brass made clear his hiring wasn’t about nostalgia or his name. Unseld, after all, has spent the last 16 years as an NBA assistant with four teams most recently with the Denver Nuggets. He’s paid his dues and earned his shot.
Unseld’s return to Washington is a homecoming of sorts, given that he started his coaching career 16 years ago on the Wizards’ bench behind then-coach Eddie Jordan in 2005. In that time he’s built a reputation as a defensive stalwart a coach credited with helping the Nuggets transform from the second-worst unit in the league to a top 10 unit within two years.
New Washington Wizards coach Wes Unseld Jr. says team aligned on needed improvements
Ohm Youngmisuk has covered the Giants, Jets and the NFL since 2006. Prior to that, he covered the Nets, Knicks and the NBA for nearly a decade. He joined ESPNNewYork.com after working at the New York Daily News for almost 12 years and is a graduate of Michigan State University.
It did not take Wes Unseld Jr. long to get in touch with Russell Westbrook and Bradley Beal.
The Washington Wizards newest head coach and the franchise s backcourt stars all appear to be on the same page with what the team needs to do to take a step forward.