Quin Snyder Hired as Assistant Coach for Atlanta Hawks

Minneapolis, MN, USA; Los Angeles Lakers assistant coach Quin Snyder against the Minnesota Timberwolves at the Target Center. The Lakers defeated the Timberwolves 106-101. Mandatory Credit: Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports

As first reported by Yahoo!’s Adrian Wojnarowski, current CSKA Moscow assistant and former Missouri head coach Quin Snyder has been hired as an assistant coach by the Atlanta Hawks.

The hiring of Snyder marks the first official step in putting together Mike Budenholzer’s coaching staff, and the move doesn’t come as a complete surprise. Snyder was a rumored head coaching candidate when the job was still open, and there are defined ties between Snyder and GM Danny Ferry.

For those unfamiliar with Snyder’s work, he is a former Duke point guard who is best known for his aforementioned tour of duty as the head coach of Missouri. He resigned from that job amid trouble with the NCAA, but while he was at Missouri, he posted a 128-96 (.571 winning percentage) record and led the Tigers to an Elite Eight berth in 2002. Following his term in college, Snyder was an assistant for both the Lakers and Sixers before heading to Europe to serve with CSKA Moscow.

It is unknown at this time whether Snyder will be given any sort of “lead” assistant role, but he is a fairly high-profile name, and the transition by Lester Conner to the Bucks leaves that position (given or implied) vacant. I am encouraged by the swiftness in which Ferry and company seem to be putting together a staff, and all signs point to a settled situation whenever the NBA Finals end and coach Budenholzer arrives in full.