Paris Basketball is in advanced talks with former NBA head coach Dave Joerger, positioning the French club to fill the vacancy left by Julius Thomas, who is expected to seek opportunities in the NBA after the upcoming season.
A Coaching Crossroads in the City of Light
Joerger, a 52‑year‑old Minnesota native, brings a résumé that includes stints as head coach of the Memphis Grizzlies from 2013 to 2016 and of the Sacramento Kings from 2016 to 2019. He has also served as an assistant with the Philadelphia 76ers, consulted for the Cleveland Cavaliers and contributed to Doc Rivers’ staff with the Milwaukee Bucks.
The overture from Paris underscores a broader trend: European clubs have increasingly become talent pipelines for NBA coaching talent. Tuomas Iisalo, who guided Paris to a EuroCup title and subsequent EuroLeague promotion before joining the Memphis Grizzlies, and Tiago Splitter, who led the team to the EuroLeague playoffs before moving on to the Portland Trail Blazers, illustrate the pathway.
David Kahn, the former Minnesota Timberwolves executive who now oversees basketball operations in Paris, is among the figures facilitating these connections, reinforcing the club’s role as a strategic bridge between European competition and the NBA.
Thomas, the current head coach, is anticipated to depart this summer, prompting the club to accelerate its search for a successor who can blend domestic ambition with international experience.