[Guide] on April 23, NBA official website reported that the Thunder has officially announced the dismissal of coach Brooks.
Brooks has been coaching the Thunder since the 2008-09 season. He has led the team to the Western Conference Finals three times in the past seven seasons. He can be regarded as the team’s meritorious coach.
But after a failed season, Brooks unfortunately became a scapegoat and could not escape the bad luck of being fired.
The Thunder officially announced the dismissal of the coach
The Thunder moved to Oklahoma City in the summer of 2008. In their first season in Oklahoma City, the team only had a record of 1 win and 12 losses in the first 13 games. Carlesimo dismissed get out of class and Brooks took office. He has been coaching until the end of the season.
In other words, in the history of the Oklahoma City Thunder, except for 13 games coached by Carlesimo, the rest of the games were coached by Brooks, which lasted for nearly 7 years.
In the past seven seasons, Brooks has led the team to a record of 338 wins and 207 losses, with a winning percentage of 62%, which can rank among the top 20 in history.
In addition, among all coaches who have coached at least 500 games and have not won a championship, Brooks has the highest winning percentage.
The 2011-12 season was the pinnacle of the Thunder. Brooks led the young Durant, Westbrook, Harden and Ibaka to the finals. This team is believed to dominate the NBA in the future.
But in the next three years, the Thunder traded away Harden, and suffered continuous injuries. Until this season, the team missed the playoffs for the first time in nearly six years.
It can be said that Brooks has witnessed all the ups and downs of the Thunder, but unfortunately became the scapegoat for this failed season and received the team’s dismissal notice.
“No matter how you look at it, it was a difficult decision to fire Brooks.” Thunder general manager Presti said, “Over the past seven years, Brooks has been the main leader and an important member of the Thunder.
team and has a place in franchise history.”
Presti emphasized that firing Brooks was a decision based on the future, not on the performance of this season.
“In order for the team to have a better future and be in the best position next season, this is a change that must be made.” Presti said, “We have to keep moving forward, and we have the confidence and responsibility to build a team that can win.
NBA championship team.”
According to media reports, after Brooks left, the Thunder set their sights on college basketball, and Kevin Ollie and Billy Donovan became popular candidates.
But the former has expressed that he hopes to stay in the NCAA to coach, while the latter has not yet made a clear statement.
If neither of these two can make the trip, then the Thunder will wait for the Bulls’ decision. If Thibodeau is fired after the end of the season, he will be a strong contender for the Thunder’s new coach.