Atlanta Hawks officially announce coaching staff for 2018-19 NBA season

Reports have circulated for weeks as to who Lloyd Pierce would hire to surround him on the Atlanta Hawks coaching staff. While the names were widely known before Friday, the Hawks formally announced the staff, including Melvin Hunt, Marlon Garnett, Greg Foster, Matt Hill and Chris Jent.

“When we set out to assemble a staff, we were looking for A-plus talent and A-plus people, and that speaks to the individuals we added,” said Pierce in the official release. “These coaches embody what we’re looking for in terms of character and credibility, and will help us grow our program and our organization. They will be great teachers and mentors for the players they’ll be working with and great representatives for the Hawks.”

Hunt will serve as the team’s lead assistant, bringing a wealth of experience, including a stint as the interim head coach of the Denver Nuggets. He worked alongside Pierce in Cleveland between 2007 and 2010 and will operate as a strong veteran presence alongside a first-time coach.

Garnett and Foster both have ties to Pierce as well, with Garnett playing alongside him at Santa Clara and Foster crossing paths with Pierce in Philadelphia during his most recent appointment. From there, Hill joins the staff from the Orlando Magic and Jent, who also has previous experience with Pierce, operates as the lone holdover from the previous coaching regime.

Finally, Nate Babcock joins the staff as the Special Assistant to the Head Coach. He arrives after spending two seasons as the video coordinator of the Brooklyn Nets and his uncle, Pete Babcock, served as the general manager of the Hawks for more than a decade.

Stay tuned.