If you ask close observers who the smartest, best coach on the international circuit is you usually hear the name David Blatt.
The average fan may not know him from the guy walking his dog down their street, but those fans know the powerhouse EuroLeague team he coaches (Maccabi Tel Aviv) and they know he coached the Russians up to the bronze medal in the London Olympics.
A lot of basketball people have wondered why an NBA team hasn’t gone after him. Now there is a report out of Sport-Express in Russia that one is (via Hoopshype, who did the translation).
This would be a smart hire by the Hawks. It gives them a quality coach on Drew’s bench and potentially a future head coach if management ever decides to go that direction (and Blatt sticks).
That said, Blatt may or may not come. He has carved out a nice — and lucrative — career in Europe. He likes living in Israel. Not everyone will fall over themselves just to get any NBA job.
But it’s something to watch. And a smart play by the Hawks whether it works out or not.