Nets name former UConn coach Kevin Ollie as interim coach, replacing Jacque Vaughn
Kevin Ollie has been named the interim head coach of the Brooklyn Nets a decade after leading UConn to an NCAA title
NEW YORK — Kevin Ollie, a former 76ers player who directed UConn to the NCAA title a decade ago, has been named the interim head coach of the Brooklyn Nets.
A day after firing Jacque Vaughn, the Nets announced Tuesday they were turning the team over to Ollie, who had been hired as an assistant coach ahead of this season.
The 51-year-old Ollie, who played 13 seasons in the league, takes over a team that has a 21-33 record and is in 11th place in the Eastern Conference. The Nets dropped five of their last six games, including a 50-point loss to the Celtics in their last game.
Ollie coached UConn for six seasons (2012-18). The Los Angeles native then spent two years (2021-23) as head of coaching and basketball development for Overtime Elite before joining the Nets.
Overtime Elite is a league for 16- to 20-year-olds that compensates players with money to be used as pay or scholarship money if they don't turn pro.
Vaughn finished 71-68 with the Nets, guiding them into the playoffs in two separate stints.