Former NBA head coach Igor Kokoskov, who has been an assistant on Quin Snyder‘s staff with the Hawks the past two seasons, will be returning to Europe to be the new coach of Turkish club Anadolu Efes, according to Aris Barkas of Eurohoops.
Basketball Sphere first reported that Efes was interested in hiring Kokoskov, with Meridian Sport later reporting that a deal between the two sides was being finalized.
A native of Serbia, Kokoskov was the first person born and raised outside of North America to become an NBA head coach, having spent one season (2018/19) at the helm in Phoenix. He was also the first non-American coach on a championship team, Barkas notes, earning the distinction as an assistant with Detroit in 2004.
In addition to his long career as an NBA assistant, the 53-year-old also been the head coach of the national teams of Georgia, Serbia and Slovenia, helping the latter claim a EuroBasket gold in 2017.
Since 2000, Kokoskov has been an assistant with the Clippers, Pistons, Suns, Cavaliers, Jazz, Kings, Mavericks, Nets and Hawks.
Koskokov will replace Luca Bianchi as head coach of Anadolu Efes, which competes in both the EuroLeague and Turkey’s Basketball Super League (BSL).
“Kokoskov was the first non-American to be an NBA head coach”
wow hard to believe it took until 2019 for a non american to be HC in nba
good luck igor
Yeah…But, not the first Non-American in the Basketball HoF.
He sucked on the Suns
Technically, he was not non-american at that moment since he had American citizenship at the time. So not yet for first non American coach
So Jay Triano doesn’t count??
Should be non-North American. I’ve updated the wording.