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The Nets have named Ronald Nored head coach of the team’s new NBA Development League affiliate, the Long Island Nets. Nored, an assistant coach at Northern Kentucky University, had been with the Celtics staff for two years prior to that, having come to Boston with his college coach, Brad Stevens as a development specialist. Nored was a member of the Butler Bulldogs two national championship runners-up.
"We are excited to welcome Ronald as head coach of the Long Island Nets," said Sean Marks. "Ronald is a bright young mind in our game whose experience under Brad Stevens as both a player and a coach, as well as his ability to connect with today’s players, have prepared him for this role. His commitment to player development, along with his enthusiasm and passion for the game, are aligned with the vision we have for both the Brooklyn and Long Island Nets."
Nored turned 26 years old last month. Stevens has raved about Nored both when he played for him at Butler and as a development coach. He was one of Stevens' first hires in Boston when he joined the Celtics. Stevens called Nored his big "energy-raiser" and a great leader.
Nored spent two seasons (2013-15) with the Boston Celtics organization, splitting time in his first season as a player development coach for the Celtics, while also serving as an assistant coach for their D-League affiliate, the Maine Red Claws. Prior to the 2014-15 season, the Celtics named Nored as player development director, where he took the lead organizational role for the players’ off-court development, in addition to his on-court coaching duties. Nored spent the 2015-16 season as an assistant coach at Northern Kentucky University.
A 2012 graduate of Butler University, Nored was the starting point guard on the Bulldogs’ team that reached back-to-back National Championship games in 2010 and 2011.
"I'm really happy for Ron. I love Ron," said Stevens. "He's one of the all-time great leaders I've ever coached. It's great for him to figure out what he wants to do and the levels he wants to be at, with all of the different things he's been able to do as a college assistant this year and with us. That's a great thing for him."
At the conclusion of his collegiate career, Nored, a two-time Horizon League Defensive Player of the Year, held the school record for games played, with 143, was tied for the all-time lead in steals, with 207, and ranked second on the program’s all-time assists chart with 497.
The Long Island Nets will play their first season at Barclays Center before moving to the renovated Nassau Coliseum in 2017. They will practice at the HSS Training Center in Brooklyn.