Utah Jazz assistant coach Igor Kokoskov passes balls to Jazz players during a practice on Monday, April 16, 2018.
as the Utah Jazz prepares to play the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 2 of the NBA playoffs in Oklahoma City on Monday, April 16, 2018. | Scott G Winterton, Scott G Winterton, Deseret News

By Trent Wood

Royce O’Neale spent the first five years of his NBA career with the Utah Jazz, a tenure that came to an end on June 30 when he was traded to the Brooklyn Nets for a first round draft pick.

All O’Neale has known to this point in his NBA career is Utah, but amid unfamiliar surroundings next season in Brooklyn there will be a familiar face on the sideline.

The Nets announced Wednesday the hiring of former Utah Jazz assistant coach Igor Kokoškov, along with Adam Caporn and Trevor Hendry, all of whom coach under Brooklyn head coach Steve Nash.

Kokoškov was an assistant coach on former Utah Jazz head coach Quin Snyder’s staff from 2015 through 2018, before becoming the head coach of the Phoenix Suns in 2018-19.

Most recently, Kokoškov was an assistant coach with the Dallas Mavericks, the very team that eliminated the Jazz in the 2021-22 NBA Playoffs.

O’Neale and Kokoškov crossed paths in Salt Lake City during the 2017-18 season.

Kokoškov was one of Snyder’s lead assistants at the time, while O’Neale was an undrafted rookie and appeared in 69 games for the Jazz, averaging just over 16 minutes and five points per game.