July 01, 2016
Brett Brown will again be sitting alongside a former NBA head coach on the bench this season.
According to multiple reports -- first FOX29 and later confirmed by Keith Pompey of the Inquirer -- the Philadelphia 76ers coach will be joined by Jim O'Brien. He'll replace Mike D'Antoni as the team's top assistant after D'Antoni, who was hired last year but left to take the Rockets head coaching following the season.
O'Brien is no stranger to the city or the organization. A Roman Catholic and Saint Joseph's University alum, the 64-year-old's last stint as a head coach ended with him being fired by the Pacers in 2011, but he did coach the Sixers to a 43-39 record and a playoff birth in 2004-05 before being fired by general manager Billy King so the team could hire Maurice Cheeks.
Prior to O'Brien, the Sixers offered the job to P.J. Carlesimo.
Prior to his stint with the Sixers, O'Brien had a fairly successful run as the Boston Celtics head coach, leading them to the playoffs in two of his first three seasons, including the 2001-02 Eastern Conference Finals, before abruptly resigning during the 2003-04 season due to a disagreement with GM Danny Ainge.
In total, O'Brien has a 303-327 record in parts of nine seasons as an NBA head coach.
