In a surprise move, the Indiana Pacers have hired Toronto Raptors assistant Nate Bjorkgren as their next head coach, replacing the recently fired Nate McMillan, according to The Athletic’s Shams Charania.
Bjorkgren joined Toronto’s scouting department in 2017 and was promoted to assistant coach when Nick Nurse assumed head-coaching duties the following season. The 45-year-old was part of a staff that led the Raptors to the 2019 NBA championship and a second seed in the Eastern Conference this season. Bjorkgren previously worked under Nurse as an assistant with the G League’s Iowa Energy from 2007-11.
In between, Bjorkgren spent four seasons as head coach of three G League franchises in four different cities, before working as a Phoenix Suns assistant under Jeff Hornacek and Earl Watson from 2015-17.
Check back soon for more details.
