Nick Nurse is the Sixers’ new head coach. Here’s what our writers think about him.
Nurse, who won the 2019 NBA title, has a good reputation around the league and has received praise for his creativity.
Prior to Nick Nurse’s hiring as the next 76ers coach, our writers were polled on each candidate. They explained Nurse’s positive attributes and what he could potentially bring to the Sixers. With hindsight on our side, let’s take a look back at how they sized up the Nurse hiring.
» READ MORE: Sixers to hire former Raptors coach Nick Nurse as their next head coach
Sixers beat writer Keith Pompey
The 2020 NBA coach of the year might be the best candidate because of his championship pedigree. He led the Toronto Raptors to the 2019 NBA title. Nurse also won two NBA Development League championships and two British Basketball League titles.
Sixers beat writer Gina Mizell
Though Daryl Morey said during his postseason news conference that tactics can be “overblown” in the search process, Nurse’s schemes and game-plan preparation are highly regarded. He also has experience with taking a win-now roster that had hit its ceiling over the top, though it’s unlikely a star the caliber of 2018-19 Kawhi Leonard is also on his way to Philly.
Inquirer columnist Marcus Hayes
Nurse inherited a team that hadn’t gotten past the Eastern Conference semifinal the previous two seasons and took it all the way to the NBA title. Nurse, that season, also coached Kawhi Leonard, who is sort of weird. Assuming James Harden comes back, Nurse might be the perfect fit.
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Inquirer columnist Mike Sielski
The best reason for the Sixers to hire Nurse is that he’s a smart coach who won a championship in 2019 with Leonard, Kyle Lowry, and the Raptors. The second-best reason for the Sixers to hire Nurse is that he has been everywhere and seen everything in his career: He has coached 15 teams in four countries. The third-best reason for the Sixers to hire Nurse is that it gives Sixers fans an excuse to read Nurse’s excellent memoir, Rapture, which he wrote with former Inquirer scribe Michael Sokolove.
Inquirer columnist David Murphy
I don’t know the details of Nurse’s departure in Toronto, but I do know that he is a smart, thoughtful, instinctive coach who has made the best out of his talent throughout his tenure with the Raptors. Remember, the year after the Raptors lost Kawhi Leonard, they won 53 games and took the Celtics to Game 7 in the (bubble) conference semis.