The LA Clippers announced today that assistant coaches Brian Shaw and Jay Larranaga have joined head coach Tyronn Lue’s coaching staff for the 2021-22 NBA season. Wesley Johnson and Cookie Belcher will also be joining the Clippers in coaching and player development roles. Additionally, the Clippers have promoted Shaun Fein to assistant coach.
Shaw comes to LA after spending last season as the head coach of the G League Ignite. Shaw previously served as the associate head coach of the Lakers for three seasons (2016-19) and was the head coach of the Denver Nuggets for two seasons (2014-15). He also was the associate head coach of the Indiana Pacers (2011-13), where he helped the team reach consecutive Eastern Conference Finals. Shaw got his coaching start in 2003 with the Lakers and served on the staff for eight seasons, helping the team win two NBA championships in 2009 and 2010. The Oakland, Calif., native played 14 seasons in the NBA, appearing in 943 games with the Lakers, Magic, Heat, Celtics, Warriors, 76ers and Trail Blazers. Before retiring in 2003, Shaw won three championships with the Lakers, including one with Clippers head coach Tyronn Lue in 2001. Shaw was named to the NBA All-Rookie Second Team in 1989 and has his jersey (No. 22) retired by his alma mater, UC Santa Barbara.
Larranaga joins the Clippers after spending the last nine seasons as an assistant coach with the Boston Celtics, helping the team to three Eastern Conference Finals in 2017, 2018 and 2020. Previously, Larranaga was the head coach of the Erie BayHawks of the NBA Development League, where he led the team to consecutive playoff appearances (2011 and 2012) while accumulating a regular-season record of 60-40. Prior to arriving in Erie, Larranaga served as an assistant coach at Cornell University and was the head coach of the Irish National Team for two years. The Charlotte, N.C., native played four collegiate seasons at Bowling Green State University and 12 professional seasons overseas.
Johnson returns to the Clippers organization after nine seasons in the NBA, averaging 7.0 points and 3.2 rebounds in 609 career appearances with LA, Minnesota, Phoenix, New Orleans, Washington and the Lakers. Johnson spent the 2019-20 season playing in the Greek Basket League with Panathinaikos, winning the Greek League championship in 2020, and he served on the Raptors coaching staff at the 2021 NBA Summer League. A native of Corsicana, Tex., Johnson was a first-team All-American at Syracuse and was selected by the Timberwolves with the fourth overall pick in the 2010 NBA Draft.
Belcher spent the past eight seasons as a coach at IMG Academy. The Mexico, Mo., native played collegiately at the University of Nebraska (1996-2001), appearing in 131 games and averaging 11.8 points, 4.0 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 2.7 steals. Belcher was named to the All-Big 12 Third Team in 1999, the All-Big 12 Second Team in 2001, and finished his collegiate career with 353 steals, the most in Nebraska and Big 12 Conference history. Belcher also played professionally in Italy, Israel and Greece for 10 years.
