A piece of unexpected news that left some Nets fans in awe, assistant coach Mike D'Antoni is stepping away from a full-time coaching role with Brooklyn, per ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.
Nets Head coach Steve Nash, who was D'Antoni's superstar back then in Phoenix, released a statement, per Marc Stein, expressing his gratitude for D'Antoni's help:
I would like to thank Mike for everything he did for me, as well as our organization, over the past year. Having Mike next to me was invaluable as I navigated my first season as a head coach. I will be forever grateful for his guidance and will carry on a lifetime of lessons from many years we've spent together. Our players and staff all benefitted from his time in Brooklyn and we wish Mike, Laurel and their family the very best in what lies ahead.
Steve Nash could not hold back his emotions as the two have a very close relationship. They revolutionized basketball by instilling the “Seven Seconds or Less” offense. Nash played his prime years in Phoenix under Mike D'Antoni. Steve Nash notably won back-to-back NBA Season MVPs during his tenure with coach D'Antoni.
After his stint with the Rockets, D'Antoni was hired by Steve Nash and the Nets to be his top assistant during his first NBA season as a head coach. The Brooklyn Nets finished the season with a 48-24 record, good for the second seed in the Eastern Conference.
The Brooklyn Nets were eliminated by the Milwaukee Bucks in a legendary seven-game thriller.
D’Antoni will have a lot of suitors since he is one of the most influential, innovative, and successful coaches in the league.
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