By Antonis Stroggylakis / info@eurohoops.net
After five years in the NBA as an assistant coach, Tiago Splitter will get his first head coach stint in the EuroLeague with newcomer Paris Basketball.
As BeBasket reported first and Eurohoops can confirm, Splitter, a former NBA champion and EuroLeague great as a player, will take over Paris and steer the team in their first-ever season in the top-tier continental competition. The club officially announced the hiring later on Monday (15/7).
Paris is hiring Splitter to replace former head coach Tuomas Iisalo who left the French club to move to the Memphis Grizzlies as an assistant. Iisalo led Paris to win the 2024 EuroCup championship, an achievement that secured the team’s place in the 2024-25 EuroLeague.
Splitter signs with Paris after beginning his coaching career as an assistant in the NBA, first at the Brooklyn Nets from 2019 to 2023 and then with the Houston Rockets. Over the summer, he joined the staff of the Brazilian national team for the Olympic Qualifiers as the squad won the Riga tournament to book a ticket for the Olympic Games.
During his playing career, Splitter spent seven years in the EuroLeague from 2003 to 2010 with Baskonia, establishing himself as one of the top centers outside the NBA. He was named to the All-EuroLeague First Team in 2008 and to the Second Team in 2009 and 2010.
After leading Baskonia to the Spanish ACB championship as season and Finals MVP in 2010, Splitter signed his first NBA contract with the San Antonio Spurs. He became an NBA champion with the team in 2014 and spent seven years in the league overall after retiring in 2018.