AUGUST 25: The Hawks have officially hired Van Exel, the team announced today in a press release.
“Since his playing career ended, Nick has been very successful in helping develop young guards for the teams he’s worked with, including several that have turned into All-Stars,” head coach Nate McMillan said in a statement. “We feel he’ll be a great addition helping our young core guards continue to progress.”
AUGUST 22: The Hawks are hiring former NBA guard Nick Van Exel as an assistant coach, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski tweets. As Wojnarowski notes (via Twitter), Van Exel will replace Marlon Garnett, who recently left to become an assistant with the Hornets.
Van Exel served as a player development instructor with the Hawks from 2010-12 and most recently worked for the Mavericks as a scout. He confirmed the news of him joining Atlanta with Mike Fisher of DallasBasketball.com (Twitter link).
Van Exel played 13 NBA seasons (including an All-Star campaign in 1997/98), making stops with the Lakers, Nuggets, Mavericks, Warriors, Blazers and Spurs. In addition to his past NBA jobs with Atlanta and Dallas, he also served as an assistant with the Bucks in 2013/14 and assistant with the Grizzlies from 2016-19.
Atlanta finished with the fifth-best record in the East at 41-31 last season, reaching the Conference Finals for the first time since 2014/15. The team is set to enter next season with its core rotation from last year under contract.
1.2.3… Cancun
1,2,3 Cancun
Not many remember that. He is forgiven cause he hit a game winning three against Boston in the Garden
Absolutely incredible hire by Nate, Travis & the Hawks. NVE was huge in Jeff Teague’s development and will hopefully do the same for young Sharife Cooper. Trae, Cam & Sky Mays all should benefit from this move. Hopefully he stays at least 2 or 3yrs
Teams read that nobodies like Mosely and Green got hired in a need for black HCs and think, why don’t we have choices available who were actually decent players?
Meanwhile VanExel and Jason Terry, players highly thought of, if not “great”, see Mosely and Green elevated and think, why not me?— am I doing anything better?
Somebody is putting 2 & 2 together.
I recall NVE crucial with Cincinnati’s final-four team in the early 90s, then in the NBA surprising everyone with the Lakers. His method-not-madness is to use apparent ridiculous gunning to keep an offense in rhythym. Things were never bogged down at UC then, which full-time ran a full-court press with hungry junior-college talent, so never wanted a slowdown.
Then in LA, NVE made a PnR offense viable for constant use, which I think was not thought of in that way until then. Now it’s a base offense that has made hash of the center position, and is many player’s main ticket.
One of the most mimicked free throws by myself as a youth
The guy that came in second for that job is pretty good, as well. Congrats, NVE!
Nick the quick, him and Eddie Jones were fun to watch before the Shaq & Kobe era.
Seeing his name makes me miss Chick Hearn.
RIP Chick