Official: Wizards assistant coach Adam Capone officially becomes head coach of Australia men's basketball team

On March 12, local time, Washington Wizards assistant coach Adam Capone officially took over as the head coach of the Australian men's basketball team. He will succeed Brian Gore, who left in August last year, and become the tenth head coach in the history of the Australian men's basketball team.

After six months of selection, the Australian Basketball Association finally decided that Capone would take over the coaching position. During the selection process, they widely sought opinions from industry experts, including former NBA star Andrew Bogut, Australian football star Michael O'Loughlin, and Australian Paralympic Committee President Alison Cree.

Capone, 42, was in charge of the Australian Basketball Center of Excellence (CoE) from 2014 to 2021, during which time he trained local stars including current NBA players Josh Giddy and Dyson Daniels. His ability to balance tactical planning and team building was a key factor in the Australian Basketball Association's final selection of him as head coach.

Capone's international experience is also a big plus for his selection. He has served as an assistant coach for the Australian men's basketball team since 2017, and assisted Brian Gore in leading the team to a historic bronze medal at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics.

After completing the signing, Capone said in the announcement: "It is a great honor to be a member of the Australian men's basketball team. To be able to serve as head coach is a dream come true."

“I sincerely thank Basketball Australia for their trust and I am very grateful to the Australian basketball community for giving me the valuable experience and opportunity to develop from the grassroots to the Olympic stage.”

“A special thank you to Andre Lemanis and Brian Gore for bringing me into the Australian men’s basketball coaching staff. Your guidance and commitment has been inspiring.”

"I can't wait to get to work and build a team that Australia can be proud of and continue to build on the great tradition and culture of Australian men's basketball."