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SALT LAKE CITY — The long-rumored addition of Fotis Katsikaris to the Utah Jazz coaching staff is now official.
Katsikaris joins the staff as an assistant coach, the Jazz announced Monday, to fill the void left by Igor Kokoskov, who left the Jazz to become the Phoenix Suns head coach this summer. Kokoskov became the first NBA coach to be born outside the United States, and Katsikaris becomes the first-ever native Greek assistant coach in the NBA.
The former head coach of Iberostar Tenerife of the Liga ACB in Spain, Katsikaris has more than 20 years of coaching experience, including a stint as the Greek National Team coach from 2014-16. Katsikaris has coached approximately 10 other teams, including a Bilbao Basket program that reached the ACB final in 2012.
Katsikaris is a student of the game, having played the sport professionally since he was 15 years old with Ionikos Nikaias in 1982. He finished his career with Itakleio Crete in 1998 and jumped to the coaching realm that same year as an assistant with AEK Athens. He has coached ever since.
The Jazz will begin their five-game preseason schedule against the Perth Wildcats on Sat., Sept. 29 at the Vivint Arena at 7 p.m.
