The Washington Wizards have removed Wes Unseld Jr. as head coach and placed him in an advisory position in the Wizards front office, the NBA team announced on Thursday.
Brian Keefe, a member of Unseld’s staff, will become the interim head coach for the remainder of the 2023-24 season, where the Wizards hold a 7-36 record. The team plans to hold a “comprehensive search in the offseason” to find a permanent replacement for Unseld, according to the Wizards.
“After several thoughtful conversations with Wes, we determined together that a change was needed for the benefit of the team,” Monumental Basketball President Michael Winger said in a press release. “Wes embodies the characteristics we value in our organization, and his vast basketball experience will be an asset to the front office as we progress toward our long-term goals. We are thankful that he will continue his contributions to our organization and community.”
Unseld served as head coach of the Washington Wizards from July 17, 2021, until Jan. 25, 2023. He has a record of 77-130 in his 2 1/2 seasons with the team. The Wizards currently have the second-worst record in the NBA. The team has not made the playoffs since 2020-21 and has not won a playoff series since 2017.
“I am grateful to have served as head coach of the Washington Wizards,” Unseld said in a statement. “I look forward to this new opportunity to work toward our organization’s continued progress.”
The Wizards are the second NBA team to change head coaches this week. The Milwaukee Bucks fired Adrian Griffin and replaced him with Doc Rivers, despite Griffin starting off the 2023-24 season with a 30-13 record.
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This is the latest leadership shake-up to a Washington, D.C., team this year. The Washington Commanders announced on Jan. 8, the league’s typical “Black Monday” following the end of the NFL’s regular season, that they fired head coach Ron Rivera. Rivera was hired in 2020 under the previous ownership by Dan Snyder before current owner Josh Harris took over.
The Wizards and Washington Capitals are considering a move to the Potomac Yard neighborhood in Virginia after Monumental Sports CEO Ted Leonsis announced plans for a new sports arena in the area. Leonsis said the new arena project in northern Virginia is based on Monumental Sports’s commitment to the greater D.C.-Maryland-Virginia area and unifying the community, but critics have pointed to the current arena’s crime-ridden location in Chinatown as a reason for the move.