Brett Brown will no longer coach the Australian Boomers at the Tokyo Olympics.
This week, Brown stepped down as head coach of the Boomers, citing the "uncertainties around the direction of my professional future" as one of the main reasons.
"This was a difficult decision which did not come easy," Brown said.
"Whilst I have a deep and long-standing passion for Australian Basketball, I am currently unable to commit to coaching the Boomers at next year's Olympic Games. The uncertainties around the direction of my professional future unfortunately mean that I cannot commit to the time and preparation that this job deserves and requires.
"The difficulties around traveling internationally with my family during the pandemic have also contributed to my decision."
Brett Brown steps down as Australian Boomers head coach for Tokyo Olympics.
— Basketball Australia (@BasketballAus) October 13, 2020
Read the announcement 👉 https://t.co/iNMDCQAE8e
📸: @GettyImages pic.twitter.com/K6BNfCzAT5
Brown was announced as the head coach of the Boomers back in November. He was set to coach the team at the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo, but the Games were pushed back to July of 2021 because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Brown has since been let go by the Philadelphia 76ers, where he coached Ben Simmons and Matisse Thybulle, both of whom have expressed interest in representing Australia at the Olympics.
"Basketball Australia is naturally disappointed that Brett is no longer able to commit to being the Boomers head coach for the delayed Tokyo Olympics but we fully understand Brett's situation, and appreciate his candidness when informing us of the decision," Basketball Australia CEO Jerril Rechter said.
"The COVID-19 pandemic is creating a challenging environment for all sports in which to operate.
"The Tokyo Olympics is an important event for Basketball Australia and our male athletes, as collectively we believe the Boomers have an excellent opportunity to claim their first ever Olympic medal."
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