Deni Avdija has a new coach in Portland: Mike Nori, a 52-year-old veteran assistant who is making his first leap to an NBA head-coaching job after nearly three decades in the profession. Nori was hired by the Portland Trail Blazers after five seasons as Chris Finch’s top assistant in Minnesota, where he helped the Timberwolves reach five straight playoffs and back-to-back Western Conference finals.
Nori has earned the nickname “the Ted Lasso of the league” for his upbeat personality, direct communication and ability to connect with players. He is also known for colorful media sessions, including saying Desmond Bane should be treated “like an elf on a shelf on Christmas morning, you have to find him,” and describing his team’s paint defense as “7-Eleven, open 24 hours.” Despite the humor, he is regarded as a sharp tactician trusted with rotations, substitutions, special situations and late-game decisions.
His path to the NBA was unusual. Nori came from baseball, where he was a captain and infielder at Indiana University, before entering basketball in 1998 as an intern in Toronto. He worked for years as a scout and later as an assistant in Toronto, Sacramento, Denver, Detroit and Minnesota. In Denver, he worked under Mike Malone and coached the Summer League team that included rookie Nikola Jokic. In Detroit, he served as an assistant and offensive coordinator under Dwane Casey.
Portland is giving him a roster built around Avdija, along with Damian Lillard, who is expected back from an Achilles injury, Jrue Holiday, Donovan Clingan, Toumani Camara, Shaedon Sharpe and Scoot Henderson. The Blazers are coming off a surprising 40-42 season and a playoff appearance, and they hope Nori can help push them further. For Avdija, the hire could be especially important, because Portland sees Nori as a coach who can blend veterans and young players, and turn potential into results.
