NBA: Matt Nielsen named assistant under legendary coach Gregg Popovich at San Antonio

The Aussie connection continues at the San Antonio Spurs with Matt Nielsen named an assistant to legendary coach Gregg Popovich.

Nielsen, who played an integral role in Australia’s first Olympic medal as an assistant, will also work alongside Boomers big man Jock Landale at the Spurs.

He joins Becky Hammon and Mitch Johnson on head coach Popovich’s staff.

Nielsen’s rise to the NBA coaching ranks at San Antonio adds another chapter to Australia’s strong links to the franchise.

The Spurs’ Australian relationship dates back to the 1990s when former Sydney Kings and Philadelphia 76ers coach Brett Brown and NBL legend Andrew Gaze helped blaze a trail.

Since then, Patty Mills, Shane Heal, Aron Baynes, Landale and even Aussie director of performance Phil Coles have all had stints at the Spurs.

Nielsen spent last season as coach of the Austin Spurs, San Antonio’s official NBA G League affiliate.

He led Austin to a 10-5 record and a spot in the 2021 G League playoffs. Nielsen spent 2019-20 as an assistant coach in Austin and began his coaching career in San Antonio, serving as a player development assistant during the 2014-15 season. In addition, he was an assistant coach with the Spurs’ Summer League team from 2014-19.

Prior to making the move to the G League, Nielsen spent four seasons (2015-19) as an assistant coach with the Perth Wildcats, where he helped guide the team to three NBL championships.

As a 17-year-old, Nielsen made his professional debut playing with the Sydney Kings in 1995.

After nine seasons in the NBL, where he won two championships and was named MVP in 2004, Nielsen moved to Europe and played nine seasons in Lithuania, Greece, and Spain.

Nielsen is still on a high after seeing Australia claim a historic bronze medal at the Tokyo Olympics, where he also came up against Popovich’s star-studded Team USA side.

He feels blessed to be part of a program that has given him so much dating back to his playing days.

Nielsen, who played for the Australian national team from 1997-2012, believes the Boomers’ culture is special.

“From players well before me and passed down to me and onwards, it’s the passion to play for Australia,” Nielsen told Perth Wildcats media.

“The aggressive and fighting attitude and combine all of that with actual self-belief that they belong in any game and should win any game and that carries over to the court.

“It’s to the point where we will forever regret the US game (semi loss) of feeling great and achieving something, but we could of and should have finished that game off.”

Nielsen credits Boomers veterans Mills and Joe Ingles for driving the Australian culture.

“You can’t look past what that leadership group have been doing for quite a while, fronted by Joe and Patty,” he said.

“They have a steel like focus in what they want to achieve, but they embrace the culture and really set out a blueprint for the future.

“To have that kind of thought process I thought was amazing, and watching them deliver that and be a small part of it was inspiring.”