Igor Kokoskov could be added to the Hawks' coaching staff under Quin Snyder / News - Basketnews.com

The Atlanta Hawks are expected to change the entire coaching staff, and Igor Kokoskov is among the candidates to take on one of the assistant roles.

Credit: BasketNews.lt/D. Lukšta Credit BasketNews.lt/D. Lukšta

The Atlanta Hawks finished the 2022-23 season in the first round of the playoffs after going down to the Boston Celtics 4-2 in the series.

2-pointers this season

55%33,6Points made:33,6Accuracy:54,6%Place in standings:1Record max:43Record min:24Most made 2FGs:Dejounte MurrayTeamNBAStatisticsSchedule

Some big changes lie ahead for the franchise, and it will all start with a new coaching staff around coach Quinn Snyder who took over the team from Nate McMillan.

According to Zach Klein of WSB TV in Atlanta, the 56-year-old will change almost the entire coaching staff, and potential candidates are already lining up to join him on the Hawks bench. Among them is the former Slovenia NT head coach, Igor Kokoskov.

Brian Bailey, Alex Jensen and Antonio Lang are some of the names who have been linked to the position. Jensen served as his assistant coach for eight years at Salt Lake City (he's still part of Utah's coaching staff), while Brian Bailey was assistant to the Hawks ' head coach during his last two seasons at Utah. Lang also worked under Snyder in Utah (2014-2019), and has spent the past four seasons in Cleveland.

Atlanta's coach first collaborated with the Serbian expert in the 1999-2000 season when Kokoskov was his assistant at Missouri. Later, they also worked together in Utah for three years, where they formed a great relationship, which they both often talked about.

"It's hard to describe our relationship. It transcends the boundaries of basketball. If it wasn't for him, I wouldn't be here today. He brought me to the States, and gave me a job. He's my life mentor, not just basketball. It changed my life," Kokoskov once said about Snyder.

After Salt Lake City, the former play-caller of Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul briefly led the Phoenix Suns as head coach, then an assistant with the Sacramento Kings, before trying out in the Euroleague with the Turkish club. He returned to the US in 2021 and joined Jason Kidd in Dallas, having spent the previous season as an assistant coach with the Brooklyn Nets.

If Kokoskov joins forces with Snyder again, he'll get to work with his fellow countryman Bogdan Bogdanovic, who agreed to extend his cooperation with the Hawks for four years and $68,000,000.

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