Just announced! Arizona Wildcats Matt Brase and Joseph Blair were both promoted within the Houston Rockets organization.
It’s always a great day when Arizona Basketball Alums get coaching gigs in the NBA. In the last month, we have two to report, Matt Brase and Joseph Blair.
In August 2015, the Rio Grande Valley Vipers, the Houston Rockets G-League affiliate, named Matt Brase Head Coach. His previous position with the Rockets organization with Director of Player Development and he also served as Assistant Coach in the 2012-13 season winning NBA D-League (now G-League) Championship in 2013 for the Vipers. Prior to joining the Rockets, Brase was Assistant Coach for Grand Canyon University.
When Brase got the call to head up the Vipers, he hired Wildcat Joseph Blair and the two have been a formidable coaching duo ever since. The Vipers last season got all the way to the G-League semi-finals losing to the Nick Johnson and the Austin Spurs. The highlight for Brase and Blair (90-60 overall record) was in 2017 when they lost in the final game of the G-League Finals to the Raptors. It was a heartbreaker but testament to the skill and ability of the two to coach a team to greatness.
Brase has been known to maintain a great relationship with the Rockets and is said to have facilitated the Rockets to be one of the most active utilizers of their G-League affiliate. It’s a tad sad to see the two break up on different teams, but on the flip side, their close relationship will benefit both teams. Brase embraced D’Antoni’s offensive scheme and groomed his players well.
Brase earned a promotion and recently. It was announced on September 13, 2018, by Jonathan Feigen that Brase got promoted to be the Rockets Assistant coach replacing a retiring assistant coach Jeff Bzdelik (65). Not only is it well-deserved, but Brase is ready for the next step.
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- The Edmonton Elks have re-signed former Arizona quarterback Khalil Tate
I have seen the two coach their team on several occasions, mostly away games at the South Bay Lakers. It’s a family reunion with SB Lakers coach Isaiah Fox, but also with Lakers head coach Luke Walton and assistant coach Jesse Mermuys who come to the games take in the battles. All former Wildcats. Brase and Blair are intense and make sure the referees know when they are displeased with a call, it has been a joy for me to watch their teams play.
Blair played professionally for ten years, starting by being drafted into the NBA as 35th overall by the Seattle Supersonics in 1996. He also coached under Sean Miller, JB was an Arizona Basketball assistant coach from 2012-2014.
Blairs players adore him, you can tell from this video with Rondae Hollis-Jefferson interviewing JB as Sparta! He tells fans they will Bear Down, Blair Down! Haha, gotta love it!
JB becomes the seventh head coach for the Vipers. The Vipers General Manager Jim Paulis had this to say about Blair:
"“Coach Blair has done a fantastic job for us as an assistant coach in RGV for the past three seasons. He has earned the opportunity to be our next head coach and we are thrilled to have him. His natural leadership abilities, communication skills and ability to connect with players help to make Coach Blair an excellent fit to be the next head coach for the Vipers.”"
Blair gets to coach his Vipers just before the G-League draft on October 20th, and also as the team moves to a new arena. “After spending the last three years in the valley, I’m honored to be a part of something that represents such a wonderful community and prestigious organization,” said Blair, “Looking forward to the season, I also consider it an honor to be the first coach to christen Bert Ogden Arena.”
We wish the two, Brase and Blair, a ton of success and we will be watching their teams and cheering them on. The Lakers, Warriors, and Rockets all have Wildcats on their coaching squads. The NBA Western Conference is Wildcat Country!