Washington Wizards: 3 Reasons why Wes Unseld Jr. is a great hire

Well, the news is finally here, Washington Wizards fans! After a lengthy process in which the Wizards interview a bevy of candidates, they have finally decided on who will be leading the bench next season. It’s a name that Washington sports fans should definitely recognize.

Wes Unseld Jr. is the son of Hall of Famer and former NBA champion Wes Unseld, the greatest player in Wizards franchise history. After his illustrious playing career, Unseld coached the Washington Bullets from 1987-1994. And now his son, Wes Unseld Jr, will follow in his footsteps as the next head coach of the Washington Wizards. Darren Hayes of WUSA9 was the first to break the news. Per ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, the two sides are expected to reach an agreement very soon.

https://twitter.com/DarrenMHaynes/status/1416105578443808768?s=20

Unseld comes to the Wizards after six seasons with the Denver Nuggets, the last five of which he was the lead assistant for the team. But for Unseld, it all started with the Wizards, for whom he was an assistant from 2005-11 after working as an advanced scout from 1997-2005. He then spent three seasons in Orlando before joining the Nuggets.

After a nearly month-long search for their next head coach, the Washington Wizards have found their man, Wes Unseld Jr.

First things first, I must applaud the Wizards for their approach to this hire. There have been many reasons to be critical of this franchise over the last few seasons. However, this is not one of them. During this search, the Wizards took their time and interviewed numerous qualified coaches, many of whom would have been solid choices. They didn’t stress out and quickly hire a coach with ties to a superstar like they did with Scott Brooks.

The Wizards did their due diligence. Even if Unseld, who, as a top assistant around the league with existing ties to the organization, seemed like the obvious choice, the Wizards made sure he was the right one. So for once…I have to give them some credit.

Make no mistake. Unseld was not hired simply because of his last name. The idea that he may have gotten the job for that reason alone is laughable. He certainly has a connection to the organization, but he also has the chops to deserve a head coaching gig in Washington and anywhere else.

There is a lot to like about Unseld as a coach, and he has done nothing but impressively pay his dues as an assistant up to this point. Now that he has a chance to run the show, here are three reasons why Wes Unseld Jr. is a great hire for the Washington Wizards.