The Charlotte Hornets recently made an under-the-radar acquisition, bringing in Will Weaver as a coaching advisor for Charles Lee. He has had an extensive coaching career, including a stint as an assistant for Australia's men's national basketball team. Perhaps Weaver can help Josh Green polish his game after the Australian hoopster had a lackluster maiden season with Charlotte.
It doesn't appear that their tenures with the Boomers intersected, though. The last time Weaver was listed as an assistant coach for the squad was during the 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup. Meanwhile, Green was a member of its under-19 club at the time. He debuted on the senior team in the 2020 Olympics.
Still, their shared experiences representing Australia at the international stage might be able to help them quickly establish a nice rapport, which, in turn, could motivate Green to take a needed leap during a critical juncture in his career.
Will Weaver brings to Hornets a wealth of experience
Charlotte lost Chris Jent to the New York Knicks earlier this month. Some view it a considerable loss, as Jent was arguably the most experienced assistant on Lee's staff, having started his coaching career in 2003. Making the split a bit more heartbreaking is the fact that he was fresh off steering the Hornets to the Las Vegas Summer League championship this year.
Perhaps replacing him with Weaver can ultimately help the franchise.
The Texas native has been in the business of coaching since 2006, when he was brought in as an assistant by the University of Texas. He then made it to the NBA in 2013, serving under Brett Brown on the Philadelphia 76ers.
Since then, Weaver has had stints with the Brooklyn Nets and Houston Rockets in the NBA and as head coach of the G League squad, the Long Island Nets. He bagged the G League Coach of the Year in 2019.
Another noteworthy entry on his resume is a head coaching tour with the Sydney Kings of the Australia-based National Basketball League. Weaver even nearly had the opportunity to add a league championship to his list of achievements. However, after leading the Kings to the title round in 2020, they had to forfeit the chance to bring home the trophy after the COVID-19 pandemic caused the cancellation of the best-of-five series while they were trailing 2-1.
Still, having been acclimated to the Australian culture might allow Weaver to become the Josh Green whisperer.
The 24-year-old swingman has been anticipated to play a significant role with the Hornets since he arrived last year, mainly because they barely have other 3-and-D options. Hopefully, Green can live up to expectations once he fully recovers from his shoulder injury. If he is unable to do so, his days in Charlotte are numbered.