06/23/26 12:50:00
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06/23 12:48 CDT Blazers hire Wolves assistant Micah Nori as head coach, a year
after Chauncey Billups' sudden exit
Blazers hire Wolves assistant Micah Nori as head coach, a year after Chauncey
Billups' sudden exit
By ANNE M. PETERSON
AP Sports Writer
The Portland Trail Blazers picked Minnesota Timberwolves assistant Micah Nori
as their next head coach on Tuesday, after making the playoffs for the first
time in five years under the direction of interim coach Tiago Splitter.
Nori, who spent the past five seasons with the Timberwolves, has interviewed
for multiple head coach vacancies including the Chicago Bulls earlier this
month, the New York Knicks last year, and the Los Angeles Lakers in 2024.
Nori, 52, was the lead assistant under Timberwolves head coach Chris Finch
while the club made the playoffs each season, won five series, and reached the
Western Conference finals in 2023 and 2024.
During the Timberwolves; 2024 playoff run, Nori took on a greater role during
games while Finch recovered from a knee injury.
Nori, who began his NBA career in 1998 as a scout with the Toronto Raptors, has
also been an assistant for the Raptors, the Sacramento Kings, the Denver
Nuggets, and the Detroit Pistons. His son, Dante, is a minor league baseball
player in the Philadelphia Phillies organization.
"After an extensive search process, it became clear that Micah embodies the
qualities we are looking for in the leader of this franchise," Blazers general
manager Joe Cronin said in a statement. "He has been a key contributor to
successful organizations and brings a wealth of expertise, a proven ability to
develop players and an authenticity that aligns with the culture we are
building. We are excited about the future under his direction and look forward
to what we can accomplish together."
Splitter, who was hired last week as head coach of the Chicago Bulls, was
promoted from assistant to interim coach when then-head coach Chauncey Billups
was arrested in October in a federal takedown of a sprawling gambling
operation. Billups has pleaded not guilty to charges of wire fraud and money
laundering.
The Blazers went 42-40 with a five-game loss to NBA finalist San Antonio in the
first round of the playoffs, the first postseason appearance and first time
they finished with a winning record in five years.
It is the first major hire for the team under the Blazers' new ownership group
led by Tom Dundon. The group bought the NBA franchise from the estate of Paul
Allen, the co-founder of Microsoft who died in 2018. The NBA's Board of
Governors approved the sale, worth a reported $4.25 billion, in April.
"From my conversations with Tom and Joe, it was evident that there is a strong
commitment to building a culture that values accountability, development and
team success," Nori said. "This is a team with tremendous talent, and I'm
excited to begin working with our players and staff."
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AP Sports Writer Dave Campbell in Minneapolis contributed to this report.
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