Nate Bjorkgren Back Working with Nick Nurse on Team Canada
It's been a tumultuous season for former Indiana Pacers coach Nate Bjorkgren who was let go from the organization after just one season.
The year included numerous reports about turmoil within the Pacers locker room and some unflattering allegations about his time with the Toronto Raptors. Through it all, tough, Raptors and Canadian Senior Men's Basketball coach Nick Nurse has been by Bjorkgren's side.
Earlier in the year when reports surfaced that Bjorkgren was difficult to work with in Toronto, Nurse quickly dispelled those rumors, calling them "100% false."
"My thoughts are that it’s certainly no fun for him and it’s no fun for me to see one of my best friends go through that," Nurse said in May. "It hurts to see him go through it."
Despite all the tumult, Nurse has kept Bjorkgren around on his Team Canada coaching staff for the 2021 FIBA Olympic qualifiers and hopefully the Tokyo Olympics.
Nurse's full staff should look quite familiar to Raptors fans. It includes Bjorkgren along with Raptors assistant Jon Goodwillie, former Raptors assistants John Corbacio and Gordon Herbert, and former Raptors 905 assistant Nate Mitchell. They are joined by former Cleveland Cavaliers coach David Blatt who is acting as a consultant and Michael Meeks.
Further Reading
Canada Basketball hopes to produce more R.J. Barretts with a winning culture
Khem Birch will not play at the FIBA Victoria Qualifiers
Barrett, Wiggins, and Dort headline Canada's list of training camp invitees
