Why Paris Basketball Still Hasn’t Named Its Next Head Coach
Paris Basketball president David Kahn (right) alongside former French international Amara Sy, who now serves in the club’s basketball operations.
For most clubs, announcing a new head coach is one of the first milestones of the offseason.
Not for Paris Basketball.
The reigning French champions have already started assembling their 2026–27 roster. Terry Tarpey and Mãozinha Pereira have officially joined the club, while Nadir Hifi, Sebastian Herrera and Jared Rhoden have all been confirmed to return. Yet the most important position in the organization remains vacant: the head coach.
Behind that delay is a recruitment philosophy unlike almost any other in European basketball.
Paris refuses to follow the usual coaching market
Since reaching France’s top division, Paris Basketball has consistently looked outside the traditional coaching pipeline.
Will Weaver arrived from Australia. Tuomas Iisalo was hired after building his reputation in Germany. Tiago Splitter made the jump from the NBA, while Francesco Tabellini came from Italy.
Rather than targeting established coaches already working in France, the club has repeatedly searched internationally for profiles it believes fit its playing identity.
That strategy has paid off. In just a few years, Paris Basketball has become one of Europe’s fastest-rising organizations, winning both the EuroCup and the French championship while developing one of the continent’s most recognizable styles of play.
David Kahn’s worldwide search
The driving force behind that approach is club president David Kahn.
The former Minnesota Timberwolves general manager is known throughout European basketball for constantly scouting beyond the obvious markets. Whether it’s the Basketball Champions League Final Four, Adidas Next Generation Tournament events, NCAA games or competitions in Australia, Kahn is a regular presence in gyms where few executives from French clubs are seen.
His philosophy has always been simple: look where others aren’t looking.
Until late 2025, much of that work was shared with general manager James Newman. His departure to Australia’s Sydney Kings and Sydney Flames left Kahn overseeing an even greater share of the club’s international recruitment.
Several ambitious targets, but no agreement
That strategy has also made this summer considerably more complicated.
According to sources, Paris Basketball showed interest in Le Mans head coach Guillaume Vizade, whose work has also attracted attention from NBA organizations.
The club also revisited veteran Brazilian point guard Marcelinho Huertas, who ultimately chose to continue his playing career with Lenovo Tenerife at the age of 43.
The coaching search, however, has produced the biggest setbacks.
Former NBA head coach David Joerger held extensive conversations with the club, seeking information about the organization, its roster construction plans and Paris Basketball’s training facilities, including The One Ball performance center. Before negotiations could progress further, Joerger accepted an opportunity to join David Adelman’s staff with the Denver Nuggets.
Another experienced NBA coach, Jay Triano, was also among Paris Basketball’s preferred candidates. He is now expected to become part of Chauncey Billups’ staff with the Portland Trail Blazers.
Those developments have forced Paris Basketball back into the market once again.
Longtime NBA offensive guru Jay Triano has agreed to join the coaching staff of Portland Trail Blazers head coach Micah Nori and reunite with franchise star Damian Lillard, league sources say. pic.twitter.com/eStpTdPHs0
— Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) July 6, 2026
No rush to settle
While many clubs might pivot toward more familiar options after missing on multiple high-profile candidates, Paris Basketball appears determined to stick to its identity.
There is little indication the organization intends to hire a conventional coach already established in France simply to accelerate the process. Instead, the club continues to search for another unconventional profile capable of maintaining the fast-paced, modern basketball that has become its trademark.
That patience has delayed the announcement everyone expected.
It may also be the clearest indication yet that Paris Basketball values long-term fit over short-term convenience.
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