Report: Sixers ‘finalizing a deal’ to hire Phil Handy as assistant coach originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia
The Sixers are reportedly poised to add Phil Handy to their coaching staff.
Andscape and ESPN’s Marc J. Spears reported Friday that Handy is “finalizing a deal” to join the Sixers as an assistant coach.
Handy had been with the Mavericks since last summer. He goes way back with Sixers head coach Nick Nurse; Handy played for Nurse as a member of the British Basketball League’s Manchester Giants. Nurse had Handy on his staff with the NBA champion 2018-19 Toronto Raptors. That title is one of three on Handy’s résumé.
He’s worked closely with many stars, including new Sixer LeBron James.
“I’ve always felt like the best players, they want to be coached,” Handy told Spears in 2020 after the Lakers clinched the championship. “They want to be challenged, too. And I think it’s a two-way street, so our job is to coach. It’s not about necessarily being friends. It’s about coaching the game. Stick to the facts of what it is.”
Like Sixers assistant coach Rico Hines, Handy has become a well-known, highly respected name over the years in the player development world. Hines ran the Sixers’ player development program in Nurse’s first three years as head coach.
Dice Yoshimoto is another recent addition to the Sixers’ staff. The team’s website lists Yoshimoto as “assistant coach/head video coordinator.”
Yoshimoto was on the Sixers’ sideline during summer league. He’s previously worked in the NBA for the Nets, Nuggets, Bulls, Timberwolves and Knicks. Yoshimoto also has experience with the Ukraine and Japan national teams.
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