Texas Legends hire Eduardo Najera

The Texas Legends, of the NBA D-League, have named Eduardo Najera the first Mexican-born head coach in the NBA system, pending league approval. Najera will also become a minority owner of the team and will hold a front-office position with the Dallas Mavericks. He was also the first Mexican-born player to be drafted in the NBA when the Mavericks selected him in 2000.

“I have the utmost respect for Eddie,” commented Legends Owner Donnie Nelson. “The work ethic he exhibited as a player, and his knowledge of the NBA game will serve him well in his role as Head Coach of the Legends. Whether coaching a rookie, or an NBA veteran, Coach Najera will have valuable insight for all of our players. I am equally excited to begin working with Eddie in a front office capacity with the Mavericks as he learns the management side of the game. I am proud to be able to call Eddie an ownership partner with the Legends.”

At the same press conference announcing his new role as a coach, Najera announced that he was retiring as a player. In 12 seasons in the NBA he played for Dallas for five of those.

Del Harris, the former head coach of the Houston Rockets, the Milwaukee Bucks, the Los Angeles Lakers, and an assistant coach to John Calipari on the Dominican Republic National Team in 2011-12, will step down after one season as the head coach of the Legends and move back into his front office role as the General Manager of the team.

“I look forward to assisting Eddie in any way possible as General Manager,” said Harris. “I am proud to say that one of my former players is taking over the coaching reigns, and look forward to watching Eddie’s development as a coach.”