Can Washington Wizards Brian Keefe Go From Interim to Full-Time Head Coach?
On January 25th the Washington Wizards decided to move head coach Wes Unseld Jr. to the front office and out as the head coach.
Since then the Wizards have gone 2-12 under interim head coach Brian Keefe, but the record doesn't tell the whole story.
READ MORE: Jordan Poole Benched or Better Role for the Team?
It is has been a rough month in the schedule for Washington combined with injuries and the trades made at the deadline putting a winning lineup out there is next to impossible, so don't put too much stock into the stats or record.
Just based on an eye test it is clear the team is playing much harder for Keefe then it did under Unseld.
Keefe has shown he isn't scared to make changes when he sees fit, a great example is him taking guard Jordan Poole out of the starting rotation.
Those kind of moves aren't something we have been accustomed to seeing with Unseld.
A big bonus for Keefe is that he has been around the league for a long time and has ton of experience.
Washington Wizards interim head coach Brian Keefe looks onto the court during the first half against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Capital One Arena.
Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports
Don't forget he also studied under San Antonio Spurs legend head coach Gregg Popovich.
While with the Spurs he saw what it takes to win at a high level and get the absolute best out of his players.
Does that mean he is the right guy for this Wizards job though?
It will take some more time to tell but he certainly has done things on the court that fans and the front office like.
A big factor into the next head coaching search will be if the incoming coach can properly develop the young talent that Washington has and will continue to collect so Keefe will need to continue to have the younger players show improvements toward the end of the year.
He does have a proven track record with developing some players and stars around the league like Phoenix Suns forward Kevin Durant have spoken out about Keefe's excellence.
Keefe is certainly getting his chance to show why he deserves a shot to be the next head man for this franchise and we will see if he takes advantage.
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