76ers hire D'Antoni as associate head coach

Mike D'Antoni is now employed by the Philadelphia 76ers as an associate head coach, Philadelphia Inquirer's Keith Pompey reports.

The team officially announced the hiring Friday afternoon.

The plan will see D'Antoni join head coach Brett Brown's staff as an associate. Brown signed a two-year extension through the 2018-19 season last week, and has stated that he welcomes the idea of bringing D'Antoni aboard.

D'Antoni had been linked to the Sixers since earlier this month, when the team hired veteran NBA executive Jerry Colangelo. D'Antoni worked under Colangelo for a time when the latter owned the Phoenix Suns.

One of the main criticisms of the 76ers' rebuilding project is a lack of experience, in terms of both players and coaches.

"That name is a good thing," Brown said of D'Antoni this week. "How can that not be a good thing? I think what's most fair to say is Mike D'Antoni is of special interest to me."

D'Antoni last worked an NBA bench as head coach of the Los Angeles Lakers in 2013-14. With a career 455-426 coaching record, he is mostly remembered for guiding the "Seven seconds or less" Suns teams of the 2000s.