Spurs Ex Tiago Splitter Hired to Coach Division Rival
Former San Antonio Spurs center Tiago Splitter has a new job in the NBA.
According to The Athletic's Kelly Iko, the Rockets are close to hiring Splitter as an assistant coach under Ime Udoka.
Splitter, 38, played with the Spurs from 2010-15 and started 18 games during San Antonio's championship run in 2014. After playing one season each with the Atlanta Hawks and Philadelphia 76ers, the Brazilian big man retired from the NBA. Just two years later, Splitter was back in the league as a coach for the Brooklyn Nets, where he's been on staff since 2019.
Udoka played with Splitter during the 2010-11 season, the latter's first in the NBA. Then, the pair were assistants in Brooklyn under Steve Nash during the 2020-21 season before Udoka left the team to coach the Boston Celtics.
Udoka only coached the Celtics for a year before he was suspended indefinitely and later relieved of his duties following a breach of the team's code of conduct. In late April, the Rockets hired Udoka to replace Stephen Silas, who was fired after three seasons on the job.
Now in Houston, Udoka looks to pick up where he left off in Boston and he'll do it with his former San Antonio teammate by his side.
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