Could the Washington Wizards lose an assistant coach this offseason now that David Vanterpool is a candidate for a head coaching job?
All eyes have been focused on the makeup of the Washington Wizards roster this season and next, but what happens with the coaching staff under head coach Brian Keefe is now a question mark.
Jeff Goodman of The Field of 68 reported on Saturday morning that Wizards assistant David Vanterpool is a candidate to become the next head coach at St. Bonaventure. Vanterpool was one of several candidates mentioned alongside former head coach Mike MacDonald, Merrimack head coach Joe Gallo, Central Connecticut State head coach Pat Sellers and Alabama assistant Brian Adams. This would give Vanterpool a chance to return to his alma mater.
This would also mark the first head coaching opportunity for Vanterpool after serving as an assistant throughout his coaching career.
He first began as an assistant at CSKA Moscow back in 2008 before moving to the Portland Trail Blazers in 2012 where he served as an assistant for seven seasons. Vanterpool then made the move to the Minnesota Timberwolves where he was named associate head coach where he served for two seasons. He joined the Wizards organization after most recently serving as an assistant for the Brooklyn Nets.
As an assistant, Vanterpool holds multiple championships having coached to a EuroLeague title in 2008, becoming a three time VTB United champion and five time Russian League champion.
Vanterpool was also retained by Washington after management elected to clean house along the coaching staff with him joining then interim head coach Brian Keefe as the lone coaches to stay.
Former Wizards guard CJ McCollum credited Vanterpool for his development from their time together with the Portland Trail Blazers where he put an emphasis on growing on and off the court.
“He’s one of the reasons I’ve had so much success throughout my career. Me and D.V. and Dame, we were stuck at the hip every day. He was hitting me up early, especially when I wasn't playing, when I was rehabbing," CJ McCollum said of Vanterpool at the beginning of the 2025-26 season.
With a chance to now return to his alma mater along the sidelines, Vanterpool also sits in St. Bonaventure's Hall of Fame as he began his career as an A-10 All-Rookie Team selection before ending it as a First Team selection by the conference. He also ranks 14th in program history in career scoring and is among the leaders in assists, rebounding and three pointers.