Former Lakers Guard Joins Pelicans as Assistant Coach

This Los Angeles alum is continuing his career for a loathed West rival.

April 6, 2014; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard Kent Bazemore (6) suffers an apparent injury as guard Jodie Meeks (20), forward Nick Young (0) and forward Wesley Johnson (11) help him during a stoppage in play in the first half at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images / Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

Former Los Angeles Lakers combo guard Jodie Meeks alum is continuing his career for a loathed Western Conference rival.

According to a fresh team press release, the New Orleans Pelicans have hired Meeks to serve as an assistant coach under head coach Willie Green. He'll be joined by veteran assistant coach Dan Geriot and former 10-year journeyman center Greg Monroe, the latter of whom will serve as a player development assistant. Geriot had served in various capacities across nine seasons with the Cleveland Cavaliers.

This will not be Meeks' first rodeo as an assistant coach, but it will be his first stint as such in the NBA.

The former 6-foot-4 swingman, 37, was first drafted with the No. 41 overall pick out of Kentucky during the 2009 NBA Draft by the Milwaukee Bucks. Meeks suited up for the Bucks and Philadelphia 76ers from 2009-12, before linking up with the Lakers ahead of the club's final playoff-bound season with Hall of Fame shooting guard Kobe Bryant.

After starting 1-4 under head coach Mike Brown, the Lakers canned Brown, replacing him with interim head coach Bernie Bickerstaff, under whom the club went 4-1. Mike D'Antoni, Nash's longtime coach with the Phoenix Suns, replaced Bickerstaff as the club's long-term Brown replacement. That Lakers club boasted four future Hall of Famers in Bryant, Pau Gasol, Steve Nash and Dwight Howard. Health issues kept Nash riding pine for most of the year, while Howard played through a back injury and clashed with Bryant. The team finished 45-37, but Bryant tore his Achilles prior to the playoffs, and the Lakers were crushed by the NBA Finals-bound San Antonio Spurs in a first round sweep.

Meeks enjoyed his best-ever season as a pro during his second year in L.A., with Bryant absent for all but six contests. Across 77 contests (70 starts), Meeks averaged career bests of 15.7 points (on .463/.401/.857 shooting splits), 2.5 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 1.4 steals a night for the 27-55 Lakers.

Meeks spent the rest of his career with the Detroit Pistons, Orlando Magic, and Washington Wizards. He joined the Toronto Raptors late into the 2018-19 season, and served in a deep bench role across 14 contests of the team's run to the title that spring.

Since hanging up his sneakers, Meeks most recently logged two seasons for the Pelicans' NBAGL affiliate, the Birmingham Squadron, during the 2022-23 and 2023-24 seasons.

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