Bret Brielmaier reassigned to head coach of LI Nets in G League
Bret Brielmaier, new head coach of the Long Island Nets poses for a portrait during Brooklyn Nets Media Day on September 24, 2018 at HSS Training Center. Credit: NBAE/Getty Images/Nathaniel S. Butler
After serving the past four season as one of the Nets’ top assistant coaches under former head coach Kenny Atkinson, Bret Brielmaier has been reassigned to take over as head coach of the Long Island Nets in the G League under new Nets coach Steve Nash.
Describing the move, Nash cited Brielmaier’s seven years of experience as an NBA assistant, including three seasons with the Cavaliers from 2013-16 prior to joining the Nets. "He has inside information and knowledge about this organization, so, it’s a seamless fit," Nash said. "He’s going to grow as a head coach in that position, which is important for his development and for him to continue to refine his talents but also for us to have that two-way relationship with Long Island. So, we’re really fortunate he wanted to take that step and be a head coach at this time and help develop our two-way guys."
Nash said it’s possible the G League teams will operate in a "bubble" set up in the Atlanta area. According to multiple reports, only 14 of the 28 G League teams are likely to take part because of the difficulty of operating under COVID-19 restrictions. Reports indicate a schedule of 12 to 16 games is under discussion. The LI Nets played the past two seasons at Nassau Coliseum.
One Net who praised the appointment of Brielmaier to the developmental role is forward Joe Harris, who met Brielmaier as a rookie with the Cavaliers and worked with him the past four seasons with the Nets. "I’ve sort of seen him ascend to that front of the bench position to now Long Island coach," Harris said. "I think he’s an excellent young coach.
"I saw how much he helped in development for a lot of the young guys on our team, especially somebody like [center] Jarrett Allen, who he worked specifically with. I think he’s going to do a really good job on Long Island."
Greg Logan has worked for Newsday since 1982 covering a wide array of sports and events, currently including the Brooklyn Nets beat.
