Report: Warriors' Atkinson agrees to Hornets coaching job

Share

It looks like the Warriors are losing another top assistant to a head coaching job for a different team.

Kenny Atkinson has agreed to a four-year deal to become the Charlotte Hornets' new head coach, ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported Friday, citing sources.

The Athletic's Shams Charania first reported Friday that Atkinson and the Hornets were "closing in" on a deal.

Atkinson joins Mike Brown, who agreed to a deal to coach the Kings, as Warriors assistants who will depart after the season concludes.

This was Atkinson's first season on the Warriors' bench, agreeing to a role on Steve Kerr's staff after serving the previous season as an assistant for the LA Clippers. Atkinson has been a key member of the Warriors' staff, helping lead the team back to the NBA Finals.

Atkinson has one previous stop as a head coach, serving that position for the Brooklyn Nets from 2016-2020, where he compiled a 118-190 record across almost four seasons. Atkinson stepped down after 62 games during the 2020 season.

Atkinson was lauded for helping turn around the culture in Brooklyn, where he led the team to a 42-40 record and a playoff appearance in 2018-19, a 14-game turnaround from the previous season. But Atkinson reportedly struggled to mesh with Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving after their arrival before the 2019-20 season, which was the writing on the wall for his departure. 

Atkinson now takes over a young but talented Hornets squad led by LaMelo Ball and Miles Bridges.

Contact Us