Report from UF Communications
GAINESVILLE, Fla. — The Oklahoma City Thunder claimed the NBA championship on Sunday led by head coach Mark Daigneault, who spent three seasons (2011-14) on the Florida men’s basketball staff. In addition, Gator alum DeVon Walker (2012-16) serves as the Thunder’s director of advance scouting and player analyst.
Both Daigneault and Walker were part of two SEC championship teams (2013, 2014) and a Final Four (2014) during their time in Gainesville.
“This was a dream for everybody here at one point in our lives,” Daigneault said in his postgame TV interview Sunday. “There was one point where we didn’t know if we were going to be in the NBA, from players to staff to coaches, and it’s a privilege we’re incredibly grateful for.”
The Indiana Pacers also represented by a pair of past Gators in Andrew Nembhard, who averaged 9.5 points and 5.5 assists in 67 games at UF from 2018-20, and former UF manager and current Pacers assistant coach Mike Weinar (2004-08). Nembhard averaged 11.7 points and 3.7 assists over the seven-game NBA Finals.
This marks the second straight season that Florida has had ties with the NBA champions (2024, Al Horford, Boston) and the third time in the last four seasons (2022, Chris Chiozza, Golden State).