Learn more about the current Portland Trailblazers assistant coach and his coaching career.
Nate Bjorkgren is currently the lead assistant coach of the Portland Trailblazers, and formerly the head coach of the Indiana Pacers, former assistant coach of the Raptors, Phoenix Suns, and D-League coach.
In this article, you will learn more about Coach Bjorkgren including his background, his coaching career, and what he currently brings to the Portland Trailblazers.
Journey to the NBA
Bjorkgren started his coaching career in 2004 as the head coach of Cactus Shadows High School’s basketball team. In 2007, Bjorkgren joined Nick Nurse’s coaching staff for the Iowa Energy, Iowa won the D-League championship in 2011. Bjorkgren made a few more stops in the D-League until he was hired on Phoenix’s Jeff Hornacek’s coaching staff in 2015, this marked Bjorkgren’s first NBA coaching job.
Phoenix Suns (2015-2017)
Bjorkgren was an assistant coach and lead player development coach under Hornacek. He served as their summer league coach twice but came up short in the finals. He was moved around the bench, as assistants Jerry Sichting and Mike Longabardi were fired that December. Coach Hornacek was fired February 1, 2016, after the team’s poor performance. The interim search consisted of Bjorkgren and fellow assistant Earl Watson, shortly after, Watson was named the head coach.
Bjorkgren would remain on the staff until October 22, 2017, after a layoff of several assistants and head coach Earl Watson.
Toronto Raptors First Stint (2018-2020)
After being fired from the Suns, he joined Toronto’s scouting department where he would remain until being promoted to assistant coach on Nick Nurse’s full-time staff in 2018. His first season as an assistant, the Raptors won the 2019 championship against the Golden State Warriors. Bjorkgren became the first assistant coach to win a D-League and NBA Championship. This was also his and Nurse’s second championship together as coaches.
Indiana Pacers (2020-2021)
Bjorkgren was hired as the team’s head coach on October 20, 2020. He had brought in a whole new coaching staff, which resulted in the departure of longtime assistant coach Dan Burke, who was a key assistant in the team’s player development and defense for over 23 seasons.
In December, President of Basketball operations Kevin Pritchard credited Bjorkgren for being refreshing and said the team felt like a “complete breath of fresh air”. As the season went on, the team was starting to feel more disconnected with the coaching staff. T.J. Warren had requested a trade earlier in the season, around the time Bjorkgren was hired, possibly as a result of a past tense relationship between them in Phoenix. Despite this, Warren remained with the team for the rest of the season.
On May 6, assistant coach Greg Foster and Goga Bitadze got into a heated argument in the third quarter against the Sacramento Kings. Foster was suspended for 1 game by the team and Bitadze was issued a fine. The reason behind the argument wasn’t disclosed, but when Bjorkgren was asked about the situation, he answered:
“We’re in a frustrating stretch here,” first-year coach Nate Bjorkgren said Wednesday. “There’s a lot going on with the challenges and navigating through a season. The competitive juices are flowing and things like that will happen.” – Coach Bjorkgren
The Pacers ended their season with a 34–38 record and lost in the second round of the play-in tournament against the Washington Wizards, missing the playoffs since the 2014-2015 season. Bjorkgren was fired shortly after on June 9, 2021.
Criticism of Bjorkgren
Throughout his coaching tenure, Bjorkgren has been criticized for his lack of relationship building with players and fellow staff, his leadership qualities, and overall personality. Besides the typical fan criticism, alleged former players and staff provided these quotes to Bleacher Report:
“When he was hired I was surprised, because he’s not the easiest to work with just on anything,” said one of Bjorkgren’s former G League players, per Bleacher Report.
“He’s kind of stubborn, won’t listen, even though it might be good conversation. He’s a micromanager and he’s not for everyone.”
“They didn’t do their background on who [Bjorkgren] was or how he treated people,” said one person close to the coaching search, per BR. “They just talked hoops with him.”
Nick Nurse responded, claiming the accusations “a bald-faced lie”. Raptors guard, Fred VanVleet commented; “Nate is one of the best coaches I’ve ever been around in my short life and he’s an even better person”.
Raptors Second Stint (2021-2023)
Bjorkgren returned to the Raptors under Nick Nurse as a consultant. Nick Nurse was fired on April 21, 2023, resulting in his assistant coaching staff being dismissed, including Bjorkgren.
Portland Trailblazers (2023-)
Bjorkgren was a special assistant on Chauncy Billups’s coaching staff last season, so even though you didn’t see him on the bench, he was involved with the team’s coaching. After the Blazers reshaped their assistant coaching staff last summer, Bjorkgren was promoted to the staff, replacing Scott Brooks on the bench. During the 2024 Olympics, Bjorkgren was an assistant coach for Team Canada, and one of the players he worked with on the team was Shaedon Sharpe.
What does Coach Bjorkgren actually do? Well, considering his strong player development experience in the High School, D-League (now known as the G-League), and the NBA level has made him a good fit for the Blazers current rebuild. In Indiana, he implemented his style of offense, which was fast paced, however, with the challenges the team suffered, the offense never really had a chance to reach its full potential. It should be noted that one of Bjorkgren’s biggest issues in Indiana was the lack of the team’s defense, where they gave up 115.3 points per game.
In December 2024, Bjorkgren filled in for Billups for two games and went 2-0 against the Jazz and Mavericks. The Blazers offense is what really stood out in both those matchups.
What are your thoughts on Coach Bjorkgren? How do you think he fits with this Blazers team? Share your thoughts and comments below.
Thumbnail Credit: Sandro via Wikimedia Commons
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