The New Orleans Pelicans have hired Jamahl Mosley as their next head coach, sources around the NBA have confirmed on Monday.
Mosley was most recently the head coach of the Orlando Magic until the end of their playoff run in the Eastern Conference 1st Round. The Magic had a 3-1 series lead before falling in the final three games to lose the series to top seeded Detroit.
In five seasons in charge of the Magic, Mosley held a 189-221 record. They made playoff appearances in each of the last three seasons, falling in the first round all three times. In two of the three series losses, Orlando fell in Game 7.
Mosley was born in Wisconsin but played high school basketball in Vista, California. He then played college basketball for the Colorado Buffaloes and played professional basketball internationally.
Mosley began his coaching career with the Denver Nuggets. He went from player development to an assistant coach. After nearly 15 years as an assistant, Orlando gave him his first head coaching job.
The Pelicans had an underwhelming season, firing coach Willie Green just a few weeks into the campaign. Overall, they finished 26-56. They also announced a multitude of organizational changes after the season, signaling a shift. Mosley’s hiring also reflects this new direction.