Teresa Weatherspoon Rumors

And-Ones: Dybantsa, Weatherspoon, Breakout Candidates, More

October 11th, 2023 at 12:21pm CST by Luke Adams

A.J. Dybantsa, a 6’8″ wing from Massachusetts and one of the top high school prospects in the country, intends to reclassify to the 2025 recruiting class, as Jeff Borzello of ESPN.com writes. Dybantsa had previously been the No. 1 player in ESPN’s 2026 recruiting rankings. Now, he becomes the favorite to be selected first overall in the 2026 NBA draft, according to Borzello.

As Borzello explains, Dybantsa, Cooper Flagg, and Cameron Boozer are widely considered the best high school prospects in the country. When ESPN asked 20 college coaches and NBA evaluators to rank the trio this summer, Dybantsa earned seven first-place votes and placed second behind Flagg, who is the frontrunner to be the top pick in the 2025 draft.

“Dybantsa is just the most complete,” one coach told ESPN. “Scores at all three levels. Super athletic. He’s the No. 1 pick in the NBA draft whenever he goes.”

Here are a few more odds and ends from around the league:

Former Pelicans assistant Teresa Weatherspoon will be the next head coach of the WNBA’s Chiacgo Sky, reports Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link). The former WNBA star was an assistant in New Orleans for four seasons before the team parted ways with her in June.
In John Schuhmann’s general manager poll, two players received more votes than Magic forward Franz Wagner for this season’s top breakout candidate. However, Wagner sits atop the list compiled by Michael Scotto of HoopsHype, who spoke to 25 executives around the NBA and has shared the top nine vote-getters. Pistons guard Cade Cunningham and Rockets guard Jalen Green round out Scotto’s top three.
John Hollinger of The Athletic lists a dozen under-the-radar NBA players whom he expects to have a real impact this season, including Celtics wing Oshae Brissett, Nuggets forward Peyton Watson, Thunder guard Vasilije Micic, and Pelicans forward Naji Marshall.
The Capital City Go-Go have traded the returning rights to Isaiah Mucius to the Delaware Blue Coats along with a 2024 first-round pick and 2023 second-round pick in the G League draft. In exchange, the Sixers‘ G League affiliate has sent Michael Foster Jr.‘s returning rights to the Wizards‘ affiliate, the Go-Go announced today (via Twitter).

Pelicans Part Ways With Teresa Weatherspoon

June 15th, 2023 at 4:18pm CST by Rory Maher

The Pelicans have parted ways with assistant coach Teresa Weatherspoon, sources tell Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link).

Multiple reporters have confirmed the news, including Andrew Lopez of ESPN (via Twitter) and Christian Clark of NOLA.com. Charania says Weatherspoon has turned down other job opportunities in the past with the goal of working her way up in New Orleans.

A 2019 inductee into the Basketball Hall of Fame for her illustrious playing career in college, the WNBA, and in international competitions with Team USA, Weatherspoon was hired by the Pelicans ahead of the 2019/20 season as a player development coach before receiving a promotion to assistant coach in ’20/21. She previously served as head coach of the Louisiana Tech women’s team from 2009-14.

An assistant coach being dismissed doesn’t ordinarily warrant much attention, but in addition to her noteworthy accomplishments, Weatherspoon was highly respected and worked very closely with star forward Zion Williamson, tweets William Guillory of The Athletic. Williamson, the No. 1 overall pick of the 2019 draft, previously referred to his former player development coach as being “like a big sister” who helped him through his injury problems, including missing the entire ’21/22 season with a fractured foot.

The Pelicans are reportedly hiring former Hornets coach James Borrego to be their associate head coach under Willie Green. Evidently they decided to create an opening on staff by parting ways with Weatherspoon.

Pelicans Notes: Zion, McCollum, Ingram, Jones

October 13th, 2022 at 10:28am CST by Luke Adams

Within an in-depth feature by Howard Beck of SI.com, Pelicans star Zion Williamson said that he was in “dark places at times” while he spent last season recovering from a broken foot.

“I couldn’t play basketball. I could only do limited rehab things. And then just seeing how the world reacted? It took a lot. It did a lot on my spirit,” Williamson said, acknowledging that the criticism he faced from outside observers took a toll on him and his family.

Having leaned on assistant coaches Teresa Weatherspoon – whom Williamson described as being “like a big sister” – and Corey Brewer to help get him through the year, the former No. 1 overall pick believes he’s grown a lot and is in a much better place heading into the 2022/23 season, both mentally and physically.

After signing a five-year, maximum-salary extension with the Pelicans in the offseason, Williamson has also gotten a reprieve from questions about his commitment to New Orleans. Speaking to Beck, the fourth-year forward laughed off the speculation that he’d want to leave the Pelicans after getting a first-hand look at the team’s second-half surge and playoff appearance last season.

“People really out here think that I could witness something like that and then tell myself I don’t want to be (there)?” Williamson said.

Here’s more on Zion and the Pelicans:

Williamson left Wednesday’s preseason game with left ankle soreness, but the injury is considered minor, and the team only removed him for precautionary reasons, writes Andrew Lopez of ESPN. “It was one of those things where it happened and I popped back up, like, ‘Yeah, I’m straight,'” Williamson said. “Played a few minutes after that, it felt fine. Then they sent me to the back just to double-check. We wanted to look at it, had a doc look at it, and he just said a little day-to-day soreness. But outside of that, I personally feel fine. Wasn’t bad news from the docs.”
CJ McCollum returned to action on Wednesday after missing two preseason contests with a sore right ankle, while Brandon Ingram (toe) remained out. According to Will Guillory of The Athletic (Twitter link), head coach Willie Green said that Ingram went through a full practice on Tuesday, and the forward himself told ESPN’s Lopez (Twitter link) that he thinks he’ll be able to play in the team’s preseason finale on Friday.
In his first diary entry for Andscape, McCollum (as relayed by Marc J. Spears) explains why he’s “genuinely excited” about playing in New Orleans and says he’s embracing the opportunity to be a vocal leader and the primary ball-handler and decision-maker in the backcourt after seeing Damian Lillard play that role in Portland.
In a story for The Athletic, Guillory profiles second-year forward Herbert Jones, who has the potential to raise the Pelicans’ ceiling if he continues to improve following a very promising rookie season.

Pelicans Hire Mike D’Antoni As Coaching Advisor, Jarron Collins As Assistant

August 4th, 2021 at 3:38pm CST by Luke Adams

The Pelicans have reached a deal with veteran coach Mike D’Antoni that will make him a coaching consultant to Willie Green and his staff in 2021/22, sources tell Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN. The plan is for D’Antoni to periodically spend time with the Pelicans’ coaching staff during Summer League, training camp, and the season, according to Wojnarowski.

Word broke last week that D’Antoni, who spent last season as an assistant on Steve Nash‘s staff in Brooklyn, would be stepping away from his role with the Nets. However, reports at the time indicated that he wasn’t retiring and still hoped to land a head coaching job in the future.

D’Antoni, whose most recent head coaching gig was with the Rockets up until 2020, has coached five different NBA teams and ranks 21st on the league’s all-time list with 672 regular season wins. However, at age 70, he may be running out of time to get another shot. Only two head coaches in NBA history – including current Spurs coach Gregg Popovich – have held that role into their 70s, according to HoopsHype.

Meanwhile, the Pelicans are also hiring Jarron Collins as an assistant coach, according to Christian Clark of NOLA.com. He’ll be the team’s lead assistant, tweets Marc J. Spears of The Undefeated.

Collins spent the last seven years as an assistant in Golden State, but he and the Warriors agreed to part ways in June. Collins, who has received some head coaching interest in recent years, worked with Green from 2016-19 when both men were members of Steve Kerr‘s staff.

The Pelicans have issued a press release confirming the hirings of D’Antoni – whose title is “coaching advisor” – and Collins. The team will also bring back several other assistants, including Fred Vinson, Teresa Weatherspoon, and Casey Hill.

Pelicans Rumors: Griffin, Vaughn, S. Mitchell, Vinson, Hayes

July 20th, 2021 at 3:14pm CST by Luke Adams

Before the Pelicans decided to hire Willie Green as their new head coach, they were looking hard at Nets assistant Jacque Vaughn, who ultimately removed his name from consideration.

At the time, Vaughn’s desire to spend more time with his family in Brooklyn was cited as the motivating factor for his decision to withdraw, but Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report suggests that Vaughn’s discussions with Pelicans executive VP of basketball operations David Griffin also played a part. During those conversations, Griffin conveyed that he intended to be involved in determining the team’s rotation, planning players’ skill development, and filling out Vaughn’s coaching staff.

“He wants to have some level of involvement in every decision,” one Pelicans source said of Griffin, per Fischer.

Here’s more out of New Orleans:

After Vaughn withdrew from the Pelicans’ coaching search, the team expanded its list of candidates, according to Fischer, who says NBA TV broadcaster and former Coach of the Year Sam Mitchell was among those to receive a call. Mitchell is expected to receive consideration for a spot on Green’s staff, Fischer adds.
Pelicans assistant Fred Vinson, who interviewed for the head coaching position, is considered likely to remain in his current role. Sources tell Bleacher Report that Vinson’s interview with New Orleans lasted over four hours and was “exemplary.” Vinson and fellow Pelicans assistant Teresa Weatherspoon are said to have good relationships with Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram, per Fischer.
During the interview process, the Pelicans wanted to know how each head coaching candidate would scheme their offense around Williamson and Ingram, and asked them to present development plans for the team’s other young players, writes Fischer.
Fischer refers to center Jaxson Hayes as “a personal favorite” of Griffin’s.
In case you missed it, the Pelicans are reportedly likely to trade at least one of Eric Bledsoe and Steven Adams this offseason and may go after Kyle Lowry in free agency.

Pelicans Notes: Van Gundy, Griffin, Williamson, Weatherspoon, Vinson, Lottery

June 16th, 2021 at 5:30pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Pelicans officials determined that Stan Van Gundy’s style was not a match for the team’s young core and that contributed to the decision to fire the veteran head coach after just one season, according to Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report.

Executive VP of basketball operations David Griffin wanted Van Gundy to give more playing time to first-round picks Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Kira Lewis, and Jaxson Hayes, but Van Gundy was more comfortable with veterans such as Eric Bledsoe, Fischer continues.

Parting ways with Van Gundy was also a means of currying favor with Zion Williamson, Fischer adds. Griffin had urged Van Gundy to make Williamson more of a lead ball-handler in the team’s offensive scheme.

We have more on the Pelicans:

While assistant coach Teresa Weatherspoon has been rumored to be a potential replacement for Van Gundy, Griffin downplayed that possibility, Will Guillory of The Athletic tweets. Griffin said her candidacy is “premature” and that people may have read too much into her being named the team’s Summer League coach, Guillory adds.
On the other hand, assistant Fred Vinson will get serious consideration for a promotion, Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN tweets. Vinson has been with the organization since 2010.
The Pelicans hit the jackpot when they won the 2019 lottery and selected Williamson. They’re hoping lightning strikes twice, Christian Clark of the New Orleans Times-Picayune writes. The Pelicans enter next Tuesday’s drawing with a 4.5% chance of getting the top pick and a 20.3% chance of moving into the top four.
Getting rid of Van Gundy so quickly isn’t a good look for Griffin, Jeff Duncan of The Athletic writes. Next season will be pivotal for the franchise and they need to hit a home run with their next coaching hire to help convince Williamson to sign a long-term extension next summer. Zion didn’t demand Van Gundy’s ouster, Scott Kushner of the Times Picayune reports, but New Orleans’ franchise player has often expressed dissatisfaction and frustration with the team’s inability to be a consistent winner. Making a coaching change now is a way of excising the possibility of Williamson becoming discontented with the franchise.

Pelicans Part Ways With Stan Van Gundy

June 16th, 2021 at 11:08am CST by Luke Adams

11:08am: The Pelicans have officially announced Van Gundy’s exit, stating in a press release that the two sides mutually agreed to part ways.

“On behalf of Mrs. Gayle Benson and the Pelicans organization, I would like to thank Stan for the integrity and professionalism that he demonstrated during his time in New Orleans, as well as the commitment and work ethic he brought to our team,” Griffin said in a statement. “This was a difficult decision as I have tremendous respect for Stan both personally and professionally, but we agreed it is in the best interest of our team to move forward in a different direction. We wish Stan, Kim and their family all the best in the future.”

9:57am: Stan Van Gundy will not return to the Pelicans for the 2021/22 season, according to Adrian Wojnarowski and Andrew Lopez of ESPN, who report (via Twitter) that Van Gundy is out after just one year as New Orleans’ head coach.

Van Gundy and Pelicans executive VP of basketball operations David Griffin have met regularly since the end of the regular season to discuss the team’s future, and a divorce between the team and its coach began to feel like an inevitable outcome around the organization, tweets Wojnarowski.

Van Gundy, who previously coached the Heat, Magic, and Pistons, spent a couple years as an NBA analyst from 2018-20 before returning to the head coaching ranks in 2020, when he was hired by the Pelicans. He had a disappointing season in New Orleans, however — a team that entered the year with playoff aspirations finished with a 31-41 (.431) record, missing the play-in tournament.

Replacing Alvin Gentry on the Pelicans’ sidelines, Van Gundy emphasized improving the team’s defense, but failed to do so, writes Christian Clark of NOLA.com. New Orleans ranked 23rd in points allowed per 100 possessions, two spots worse than in 2019/20. The Pels also had trouble closing out games, losing 14 times when they held a double-digit lead.

Clark writes that Van Gundy struggled to connect with many of the Pelicans’ young players, who didn’t adapt well to the drastic shift from Gentry’s coaching style to Van Gundy’s. Sources tell NOLA.com that Van Gundy’s relationship with star forward Brandon Ingram was “strained” for much of the season.

Van Gundy joins Nate Bjorkgren, formerly of the Pacers, as the head coaches who were let go this spring after just one year on the job.

The fifth team to launch a head coaching search since the regular season ended, the Pelicans are expected to look both inside and outside of the organization as they seek Van Gundy’s replacement.

Several reporters – including Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer, Will Guillory of The Athletic, and Marc Stein of The New York Times (all Twitter links) – say that current Pelicans assistant Teresa Weatherspoon is a strong contender for the position, while O’Connor also identifies Fred Vinson as a candidate.

As for external candidates, Wojnarowski names Bucks assistant Charles Lee, Lakers assistant Jason Kidd, and Nets assistants Jacque Vaughn and Ime Udoka as possibilities, noting that the Pelicans considered some of those coaches a year ago before hiring Van Gundy.

Van Gundy, meanwhile, could receive some consideration from the other four teams with head coaching openings, but may prefer to step away again after a trying season. A return to broadcasting is one possibility for the veteran coach.

Pelicans Hire Beyer, Hill, Walters For Van Gundy’s Staff

November 16th, 2020 at 5:30pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Pelicans announced on Monday they have hired Bob Beyer, Casey Hill, and Rex Walters to join Stan Van Gundy’s staff, according to a team press release.

The addition of Beyer was previously reported and comes as no surprise. Beyer has a long history with Van Gundy, serving as an assistant in Orlando and Detroit for a combined nine seasons. He was on the Kings’ staff last season.

Hill was an assistant with the Clippers the past two seasons. Walters had a stint on Van Gundy’s staff in Detroit and served as an assistant at Wake Forest last season.

In another significant development, Van Gundy has promoted former WNBA great Teresa Weatherspoon to the staff. She was a two-way player development coach last season in New Orleans.

Longtime NBA players Corey Brewer and Beno Udrih have been hired as player development coaches. Fred Vinson has been retained as an assistant, while Darnell Lazare will remain as a player development coach.

Southwest Notes: Pelicans, Powell, House, Grizzlies

September 26th, 2019 at 6:00pm CST by Luke Adams

The Pelicans have become the latest NBA franchise to add a female assistant coach to their ranks, announcing today in a press release that WNBA Hall-of-Famer Teresa Weatherspoon has joined the franchise as a player development coach.

According to the Pelicans, Weatherspoon and newly-hired coach A.J. Diggs will serve as two-way assistant coaches, working closely with the club’s two-way players and accompanying them as they go back and forth between the Pelicans and the Erie BayHawks. Currently, New Orleans’ two-way players are Josh Gray and Zylan Cheatham.

“I am thrilled to welcome and AJ and Teresa to our coaching staff here in New Orleans,” Pelicans head coach Alvin Gentry said in a statement. “As we continue to put an increased emphasis on player development, AJ and Teresa will play an integral role with our younger players and will be a huge asset to our players and staff both here in New Orleans and Erie.”

Weatherspoon is the second former WNBA star to be hired the Pelicans this offseason, joining Swin Cash, who was named the club’s VP of basketball operations and team development.

Let’s round up a few more items from around the Southwest…

There may be some skepticism among Mavericks fans about Dwight Powell‘s value, but after signing a new long-term contract extension this summer, the big man projects to be a major part of the team’s plans going forward, writes Brad Townsend of The Dallas Morning News.
Danuel House, who signed a new three-year contract with the Rockets this offseason, isn’t considered a dynamic shot creator, but Kelly Iko of The Athletic makes a case that House could provide the team with some of the frontcourt play-making it lacks.
Mark Giannotto of The Memphis Commercial Appeal believes the Grizzlies are handling the Andre Iguodala situation exactly right. Iguodala remains under contract with the team but won’t report to camp as the front office continues to weigh trade or buyout scenarios.
David Cobb of The Memphis Commercial Appeal examines where things stand with Josh Jackson and Grayson Allen, two former first-round picks acquired this summer by the Grizzlies. Memphis must make 2020/21 option decisions on both players by October 31, and Jackson’s option in particular is no lock to be exercised.