FRISCO, Texas — The Texas Legends named Nathaniel “Nate” Mitchell head coach on Wednesday, the team announced. He spent the past two seasons as head coach of the Guangzhou Loong Lions in the Chinese Basketball Association.
Mitchell is the 10th head coach in Legends history. He replaces Max Hooper, whom the Legends named their ninth head coach in July 2025 after Hooper served as the Dallas Mavericks’ head video coordinator. On Sept. 15, the Mavericks named Mitchell to a dual role as a Dallas assistant and Legends head coach when they announced first-year coach Dusty May’s staff.
Nathaniel Mitchell Coached In Maine, Toronto, Charlotte, Milwaukee, And China Before Frisco
Mitchell started his G League coaching career with the Maine Red Claws in 2014 before moving to Raptors 905. He was an assistant on the 905 team that won the 2016-17 G League championship in the franchise’s second season. Mitchell spent four seasons as a G League assistant.
In the NBA, Mitchell worked as an assistant with the Toronto Raptors, Charlotte Hornets, and Milwaukee Bucks. Canada Basketball identified him as Guangzhou’s head coach in announcements in November 2024 and November 2025.
Canada’s senior men’s national team added Mitchell to its coaching staff in 2016. This summer was his 10th with the program. Mitchell was an assistant on the Canada team that beat the United States 127-118 in overtime for bronze at the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup. The bronze was Canada’s first medal at a men’s World Cup.
Mitchell also worked as an assistant at the 2024 Paris Olympics. His head coaching debut with Canada came at the 2022 FIBA AmeriCup in Brazil, where the team finished fourth. Canada finished fourth again under Mitchell at the 2025 AmeriCup in Nicaragua after losing to the United States in the bronze medal game.
He also coached Canada in AmeriCup qualifying windows in November 2024 and February 2025, and in the opening window of 2027 World Cup qualifying in November 2025. For this summer’s World Cup qualifying windows, Canada Basketball listed Mitchell as an assistant under head coach Gordie Herbert.
John Poulakidas, Jett Howard, And Tobi Lawal Hold Mavericks’ Two-Way Spots Ahead Of Nov. 8 Opener
The Mavericks’ three two-way contracts belong to John Poulakidas, Jett Howard, and Tobi Lawal, Hoops Rumors reported this month. Dallas carried Poulakidas over from last season.
Poulakidas signed his two-way deal with the Mavericks on March 3 and averaged 8.8 points in 13 NBA games. Orlando selected Howard 11th overall in the 2023 NBA Draft. He has averaged 4.5 points in 133 NBA games. In June, Dallas drafted Lawal 48th overall out of Virginia Tech.
On Thursday, the Legends traded the returning player rights to Emanuel Miller and the No. 4 pick in the 2026 NBA G League Draft to the Grand Rapids Gold. Texas received the No. 3 pick in the same draft, a 2027 first-round pick, and the returning player rights to three players who will play overseas this season.
The Legends will introduce Mitchell at a press conference Tuesday, Sept. 22, at 2:30 p.m. CT. Texas opens its season Sunday, Nov. 8, at the Mexico City Capitanes, with tip-off at 6:30 p.m. CT. The home opener is Friday, Nov. 13, against the Rio Grande Valley Vipers at Comerica Center at 7 p.m. CT.
