Fox News Flash top sports headlines for February 20
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A disappointing 8-23 stretch during the Brooklyn Nets' 2023-2024 season prompted the team's front office to relieve Jacque Vaughn of his head coaching duties this week.
One day later, the team elevated assistant coach Kevin Ollie to the interim coaching role. Ollie is in his first season with the Nets.
Prior to joining the Nets, Ollie coached at Overtime Elite, which is a start-up basketball league that provides an alternative for top basketball prospects ages 16 to 20 by compensating athletes with money to be used as pay or scholarship money if they don't turn pro.
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Head coach Kevin Ollie of the Connecticut Huskies is seen during the game against the Cincinnati Bearcats, Feb. 22, 2018, in Highland Heights, Ohio. (Michael Hickey/Getty Images)
Ollie also had a long stint with his alma mater, the UConn Huskies, where he won the NCAA Division I men's basketball national championship in 2014. Ollie spent more than a decade in the NBA, playing for numerous teams.
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The 51-year-old coach will now be tasked with turning around a team that has a 21-33 record and is in 11th place in the Eastern Conference. The Nets dropped five of their past six games, including a 50-point loss to the Boston Celtics in their last game.
Vaughn's time in Brooklyn ended with a 71-68 record. The Nets advanced to the postseason two times under Vaughn's guidance. But he failed to win a playoff game as the Nets head coach, going 0-8 in two postseason series.
Brooklyn Nets head coach Jacque Vaughn (AP Photo/John Munson)
"To Joe Tsai, Clara Wu-Tsai, Ollie Weisberg, Sam Zussman, Sean Marks and front office, Nets coaches, staff, players, BSE family and the entire Brooklyn borough: It was a pleasure being your Head Coach," said Vaughn in a statement issued to ESPN shortly after his exit.
"I hope each individual I interacted with felt respected and valued. Just know I gave you everything I had every single day. Onto the next chapter. Amor Fati."
Assistant coach Kevin Ollie and Mikal Bridges of the Brooklyn Nets talk during practice on Oct. 14, 2023. (Kostas Lymperopoulos/NBAE via Getty Images)
Vaughn joined the Nets coaching staff in 2016. He was named the interim head coach in 2020 following Steve Nash's dismissal. The team eventually dropped the interim tag before signing Vaughn to a multiyear extension last February.
"This was an incredibly difficult decision, but one we feel is in the best interest of the team going forward," said Nets general manager Sean Marks in a statement after the announcement to fire Vaughn.
"Jacque has represented this organization with exemplary character and class for the past eight years. The consistent positivity and passion he poured into our team daily will remain with the players and staff he interacted with throughout his tenure. We thank Jacque for all he has done for the Nets and the borough of Brooklyn, and wish him, Laura and their family nothing but the best in the future."
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The Nets appear to have committed to rebuilding the roster around Mikal Bridges. The Toronto Raptors host the Nets on Thursday night in what will be both teams' return to action following the All-Star break.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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