Wizards interview Unseld Jr. for head coach originally appeared on NBC Sports Washington
Wes Unseld Jr. has long been seen as a viable option to be head coach of the Washington Wizards due to a series of connections to the city and the franchise, so it's no surprise he interviewed for their vacancy on Thursday, according to a report by USA Today.
Unseld Jr. is the son of Hall of Famer Wes Unseld Sr., the only player in Wizards/Bullets franchise history to win the NBA's MVP award. He was the best player on their 1978 championship team and went on to serve as both a head coach and executive for the organization.
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Unseld Jr., however, would be qualified for the job no matter his last name. He is the associate head coach for the Denver Nuggets and has been an NBA assistant for over a decade. Part of his journey included six years in Washington working as an assistant coach and a scout in their front office.
Before joining the NBA as a coach, Unseld Jr. grew up in Maryland and played basketball at Johns Hopkins. Unseld Jr. has also served as an assitant coach for the Magic and Warriors.
Unseld Jr. can be added to a growing list of names that have interviewed for the job including Chris Fleming, Sam Cassell, Ronald Nored and others. Cassell is also a former Wizards assistant.
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Unseld Jr., though, is in the running for the Magic job as well. It was reported earlier on Thursday he was in the second round of interviews.
So, the Wizards may have some competition if they want to hire Unseld Jr. He has an excellent resume and a long list of ties to the organization, but he's also apparently in high demand.
