Portland, Oregon: Micah Nori Blazers talks ended with the Portland Trail Blazers appointing the longtime NBA assistant as head coach on Tuesday.
Nori signed a one-year deal with team options for the next two seasons, according to Yahoo Sports. The 52-year-old takes over a Portland team that went 42-40 and returned to the playoffs for the first time since 2021.
Nori joins Portland after five seasons as lead assistant with the Minnesota Timberwolves. He has 28 years of NBA experience, including 17 years as an assistant coach since 2009.
His NBA career began with the Toronto Raptors in 1998, when he worked as an intern before moving into scouting and coaching roles. He later served with the Sacramento Kings, Denver Nuggets and Detroit Pistons before rejoining Chris Finch in Minnesota.
Timberwolves head coach Chris Finch praised Nori’s work with lineup combinations, rotations and special situations. Finch also said Nori knew as much basketball as anyone around the team.
Portland considered finalists, including Boston Celtics assistant Tyler Lashbrook and interim coach Tiago Splitter, before choosing Nori. Splitter later took the Chicago Bulls head coaching job.
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The Blazers selected Nori after weighing his communication and relationship-building skills. He inherits a roster featuring Deni Avdija and Damian Lillard.
Nori played baseball at Indiana University and helped the Hoosiers win the Big Ten Tournament in 1996. His son Dante Nori was a 2024 first-round draft pick by the Philadelphia Phillies.
