The Oklahoma City Thunder's coaching search has reportedly come to an end.
According to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, Oklahoma City has promoted assistant coach Mark Daigneault to be the team's next head coach.
The Oklahoma City Thunder are promoting assistant Mark Daigneault to become the franchise’s next head coach, sources tell ESPN.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) November 11, 2020
Daigneault joined Billy Donovan's staff as an assistant coach ahead of the 2019-20 NBA season. Prior to joining the NBA's Thunder, Daigneault spent five seasons as head coach of the Thunder's G League affiliate, the Oklahoma City Blue.
During his time as the lead man of the Blue, Daigneault led the team to a 143-107 record and four playoff appearances, earning G League Coach of the Month three times. At 35, Daigneault becomes the second-youngest head coach in the league, as he is only older than Minnesota Timberwolves head coach Ryan Saunders.
Daigneault takes over for Donovan, with whom he first began to work as a graduate assistant at the University of Florida.
Last season, the Thunder were one of the league's most surprising teams, earning the West's No. 5 seed with a record of 44-28 in the shortened season. Thanks largely in part to the play of All-NBA guard Chris Paul and his backcourt mates, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Dennis Schröder, OKC pushed the Houston Rockets to seven games in the opening round of the playoffs.
While a number of questions still loom surrounding the Thunder for the upcoming season, the franchise now knows who will be leading the way from the sideline.
Stick with NBA.com for more developments surrounding the hire and the Thunder's offseason.
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