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San Antonio Spurs: Will Hardy to take on more prominent coaching role

By Andrew Ites

LAS VEGAS, NV - JULY 10: Assistant Coach Will Hardy of the San Antonio Spurs looks on during the game against the Portland Trail Blazers during the 2018 Las Vegas Summer League on July 10, 2018 at the Cox Pavilion in Las Vegas, Nevada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Bart Young/NBAE via Getty Images)
LAS VEGAS, NV - JULY 10: Assistant Coach Will Hardy of the San Antonio Spurs looks on during the game against the Portland Trail Blazers during the 2018 Las Vegas Summer League on July 10, 2018 at the Cox Pavilion in Las Vegas, Nevada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Bart Young/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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With the loss of two prominent assistant coaches this offseason, Will Hardy is expected to step into a more prominent role on the San Antonio Spurs’ staff.

The San Antonio Spurs are familiar with having to replace their assistant coaches often as Gregg Popovich’s coaching tree is always in high demand.

Pop’s tree includes the likes of Doc Rivers, Mike Brown, Brett Brown, Monty Williams, and Mike Budenholzer among others that have all gone on to have success after learning from the greatest coach in NBA history.

With Ime Udoka taking Monty Williams’ old job as Brett Brown’s top assistant in Philadelphia and Ettore Messina returning to Italy as the head coach and director of basketball operations with Olimpia Milano, there will be some open spots to fill on the Spurs’ bench next to Gregg Popovich.

Becky Hammon will probably take over as Pop’s top assistant next season, and Woj is reporting that Will Hardy is also expected to step into a bigger role on San Antonio’s staff.

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Woj called Hardy “one of the league’s impressive young coaches” as he’s risen up the NBA coaching ranks, and that’s high praise coming from an insider that is extremely plugged in to the coaching community.

Hardy began his NBA coaching career as a basketball operations intern with the Spurs in 2010 before being promoted to the assistant video coordinator position the next year.

Hardy continued to work his way up as he was promoted to the head video coordinator position in 2013 before earning a seat on San Antonio’s bench as an assistant coach six years later.

Hardy has experience coaching the Spurs’ squad in the Utah Summer League, which has given him a chance to prove his worth to the organization.

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He has created some buzz as one of the NBA’s up-and-coming coaches, and Hardy’s knowledge and input will be extremely valuable on a staff that has lost two of their top assistants this offseason.