The Key That Helped Land Abdelfattah Kings Job

In professional sport the ability to forge and maintain strong relationships is key, new Sydney head coach Mahmoud Abdelfattah’s journey to the NBL inadvertently started half a decade ago.

Abdelfattah will arrive in the NBL with a CV that will match – or even exceed – any international coach to have arrived in our competition. He won two NBA G-League titles, one as an assistant and one as a head coach, with the Rio Grande Valley Vipers before elevating to an assistant coaching position with the Houston Rockets.

It’s not just the relationship with Pongrass that helped allow Abdelfattah to so thoroughly impress the Kings organisation, rather, it’s the relationships with former players and colleagues.

“I met ‘CP’ (Kings CEO Chris Pongrass) a number of years ago during my first interview with the Memphis Grizzlies/Memphis Hustle about six years ago,” Abdelfattah said. “I can’t remember the exact timing but a couple of weeks ago a friend reached out on my behalf to CP and communicated ‘Mahmoud would possibly be interested’.

“CP reached out, we were aware of one another and he asked if I was interested in what the job would require. I told him I definitely would be interested and within a week or so I was on a Zoom with him, Luc Longley and Andrew Bogut.

“I went through that process, we stayed in contact, and I went through the process of interviewing with ownership and, long story short, I’m here, I’m thankful, it’s been a pleasure … it’s a blessed opportunity.”

Although Abdelfattah’s resume does speak for itself, Pongrass says it was what the incoming head coach has achieved off the court with the people around him that enamoured him to the two-time reigning NBL champions.

“You talk about the players he may have coached that are in the NBL now, he also coached Jae’Sean Tate, Matur Maker, Jarell Martin, guys who have been in Sydney and talked about how successful here and how he’s been as a coach and a friend,” Pongrass said.

“We cast a wide net of intel sources and it’s rare not to hear anything back from anyone across the board.

“For me, that was a sign that the character we’re getting is so much more important than just the style of play and basketball side.

“I think that’s an important part as to why Mahmoud was such an appealing candidate. He’s done it at every level. He’s been in high school and college, he’s played, he’s been an assistant, he’s been player development, he’s been a head coach, he’s been the head coach of a championship team, he’s been in the NBA going through the challenges last season.

“He’s seen everything but he’s crafted relationships all across America and the world, and I think that’s important to harness and really rely on that.

“Yes, it’s an important part of our roster build but he’s got long-standing relationships and we talked to a number of players that he had coached in the past and they have all sung his praises.”

Those pre-existing relationships that Abdelfattah has built may be called upon as he looks to complete the Kings’ roster for NBL24.

His predecessor, Chase Buford, utilised his connections with the Wisconsin Herd of the NBA G-League to bring Jaylen Adams to Sydney. A move that ended with Adams ending his tenure with a league MVP in one hand and the championship trophy in the other.

Sydney has already signed former Cairns star DJ Hogg to its roster for the upcoming season, but still has up to two more import spots to fill.

While Abdelfattah remained coy on any potential signings, he did reveal he has been in contact with a number of players since it was announced he had won the job.

“God has a plan,” he laughed when asked about signing an import point guard.

“That will definitely be an avenue that will be discussed with CP – and has been,” Abdelfattah said when asked about adding players who are known quantities to him.

“It wouldn’t make any sense if I didn’t.

“I’ve had a number of players text me from the Rockets and throughout a number of NBA teams.

“Guys who have played for me that are overseas are congratulating me as well.

“I’m sending a few different emojis.”

Sydney’s opening game of the NBL24 season will come against local rivals Illawarra on Saturday, September 30.