Washington Wizards President Ernie Grunfeld announced today that the team has named Don Zierden as an assistant coach on the staff of Head Coach Flip Saunders. Per team policy, terms of the contract were not released.
"I know what kind of man and what kind of coach Don is from our time together in Minnesota, Detroit, La Crosse and Tulsa,” said Saunders. “Don has an astute mind for the game of basketball, and that’s why he’s been a successful teacher at the high school ranks, in college, the CBA, the WNBA and the NBA. He brings a wealth of experience and ability to our staff.”
Zierden comes to Washington after spending the previous two seasons as the head coach of the WNBA’s Minnesota Lynx. Zierden’s coaching career has also included time spent under Saunders with the Detroit Pistons (2005-06) and Minnesota Timberwolves (1999-2005), and his working relationship with Saunders extends through the years he served on Saunders’ staff at the University of Tulsa (1986-88) and in the Continental Basketball Association with the La Crosse Catbirds (1990-94, including winning the 1992 CBA Championship). Additionally, Zierden has been the head coach of the CBA’s Pittsburgh Piranhas (where he took Pittsburgh to the CBA Finals in 1995), and the La Crosse Bobcats.
“I couldn’t pass on the opportunity to work with Flip again,” said Zierden. “With the staff that he has assembled, and the great talent that is already in place on the roster, I’m extremely enthusiastic to get to Washington and to begin helping this team reach the next level on the court.”