Former Notre Dame head coach Mike Brey expected to become Atlanta Hawks assistant

Former Notre Dame head coach Mike Brey announced in January that the 2022-23 season would be the last one he coached for the Fighting Irish. And now after being tied to several other ventures, it seems like Brey has found his next move.

Tom Noie of the South Bend Tribune reported Monday that multiple sources have suggested that Brey will be joining the Atlanta Hawks coaching staff next season as an assistant coach under head coach Quinn Snyder. Snyder was hired by the Hawks in the middle of the season on February 26, and is currently in the midst of a first round playoff series with the Boston Celtics.

The news follows reports of Brey interviewing for the head coaching job at USF, but not receiving an offer. Following the interview, ESPN’s Pete Thamel reported that Brey would be taking some time off and eventually want to pursue a career in television.

It wouldn’t be Brey’s first time changing his mind on what he will do following his 23-year coaching tenure with Notre Dame, but Noie did also report that Brey has purchased a home in Atlanta.

Brey retired from Notre Dame as the school’s all-time wins leader in program history with 483 wins, also leading the Fighting Irish to 13 NCAA Tournament appearances. Brey has coached at the high school and college level, but if hired by the Hawks, will be pursuing the first NBA job of his career.

It would also serve as a reunion for Snyder and Brey. Brey was an assistant coach under Mike Krzyzewski at Duke from 1987 to 1995, and Snyder played point guard for the Blue Devils from 1985 to 1989. Snyder was also an administrative assistant turned assistant coach at Duke from 1993–1999, making the two more than familiar with each other.

After Brey stepped away from the program, Notre Dame hired former Penn State coach Micah Shrewsberry. Shrewsberry reportedly received a seven-year contract worth well more than $4 million per year from Notre Dame after leading the Nittany Lions to the Round of 32 in the NCAA Tournament last season in just his second season of his first Division I head coaching job. Shrewsberry also hired former Virginia assistant Kyle Getter to his staff on Friday, as he looks to continue to fill out his coaching staff in his first season in South Bend.