The Denver Nuggets coaching carousel continues to move along as the Nuggets interviewed another assistant coach. According to Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports, Portland Trailblazer assistant coach David Vanterpool is the latest to meet with Tim Connelly about the vacancy.
Vanterpool, 42, had been an assistant coach with CSKA Moscow in the Russian professional basketball league from 2007-10, and most recently has served as an assistant coach for the Portland Trailblazers since 2012. Additionally, earlier this month, Vanterpool was named as an assistant coach to Canada men’s national basketball team.
Wojnarowski also notes, “The Oklahoma City Thunder hired Vanterpool as director of player personnel in 2010, a role that had him on the front-office fast track until his desire to coach led him to the Blazers in 2012.” Important to note that this will be the second head coaching position Vanterpool has interviewed for, after previously interviewing with the Philadelphia 76ers in 2013.
With Melvin Hunt, Mike D’Antoni, Mike Malone, Mike Woodson and Don Newman, all interviewing for the Nuggets head coaching position, it is still unclear what direction Josh Kroenke and Tim Connelly are taking this team. Connelly previously told the media that he had hoped to hire a new coach prior to the NBA draft on June 25th, but with all the recent interviews he will need to make a decision soon to accomplish that goal.
Sammy Mugharbil, a Mile High Sports intern and student at MSU-Denver contributed to this report.