The New Orleans Pelicans had a former Philadelphia 76ers player as their head coach for several seasons. As they open up the official search for Willie Greenâs replacement, another ex-Sixer has entered the mix.
According to HoopsHypeâs Michael Scotto, the Pelicans are opening up an offseason search for a new head coach. While the interim head coach James Borrego will get a chance to state his case to stick around, the Pelicans are going to look outside of the team as well.
Kevin Ollie was one of the early candidates named.
via Michael Scotto, HoopsHype: Borrego will be a candidate to retain the job going forward, but others are also expected to be in the mix, including Darvin Ham and Kevin Ollie, league sources told HoopsHype. In addition, league sources say current Orlando Magic coach Jamahl Mosley has several admirers in New Orleans. Should Mosley not be retained by Orlando after the season, he would also be towards the top of the coaching candidate list for New Orleans.
Kevin Ollie Spent Some Of His Career With The Sixers
TORONTO – NOVEMBER 8: (L-R) Kevin Ollie #12, Allen Iverson #3 and Samuel Dalembert #1 of the Philadelphia 76ers share a laugh during the game against the Toronto Raptors on November 8, 2006 at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto, Canada. The Raptors defeated the Sixers 106-104. 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. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
In 1995, Ollie went undrafted out of UConn. He played his first stretch of NBA basketball with the Dallas Mavericks in 1997. He had runs with the Mavs, Orlando Magic, and the Sacramento Kings before making his way to Philadelphia.
Ollie played with a notable number of teams throughout his career, but spent the most time as a player with the 76ers throughout several stints. In total, Ollie played six seasons for the 76ers. He appeared in 280 games. The veteran averaged 2.7 points, 1.1 rebounds, and 1.6 assists in Philadelphia.
Ollieâs final season with the 76ers was in 2008. After he finished his career in 2010, Ollie took on a coaching job as an assistant at UConn. He became the head coach in 2012, a position he held for several years. In 2021, Ollie joined the Overtime Elite program for two years.
The Brooklyn Nets added Ollie as an assistant in 2023. He earned the interim head coach title during the 2023-2024 NBA season. During that time, the Nets went 11-17 and missed the NBA Playoffs.
Ollie has a reputation for strong player development. He was also previously linked to the Detroit Pistonsâ last coaching vacancy, while the hiring process was overseen by the current Pelicans general manager, Troy Weaver. At the time, Ollie gained steam as a favorite for the job, but the Pistons ultimately hired Monty Williams.
New Orleans approached the 2025-2026 NBA season with a contenderâs mentality. They finished the year outside of the Play-In Tournament, sitting 11th in the Western Conference with a 26-56 record.
Itâs clear that the Pelicans have plenty of work to do. There are many coaching candidates available, and potentially soon-to-be available, giving the Pelicans a wide range of options. Hiring another former Sixer could be in the cards for New Orleans.
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