The Washington Wizards made a notable staff change Sunday, one that reshuffles the coaching hierarchy just a day after bringing in Hall of Famer Patrick Ewing as an assistant. According to The Athletic’s Josh Robbins, lead assistant coach David Vanterpool is moving into a front-office role with the team.
Vanterpool had been Brian Keefe’s top assistant since 2023, when Michael Winger and Will Dawkins took over the front office. But Adam Caporn, who was already on the staff, will now step up as the lead assistant. It’s a quick reshuffle that signals the Wizards aren’t done shaking things up.
Vanterpool has history here. He and Keefe worked together as assistants with the Brooklyn Nets in 2021 and 2022. Before that, Vanterpool had stints as an assistant in Portland and Minnesota. He’s also the acting head coach of Nigeria’s men’s national basketball team. The Maryland native has deep roots in the area, and the move to the front office keeps him in the organization, just in a different capacity.
Caporn, meanwhile, comes from a different path. He coached the Long Island Nets in the G League from 2021 to 2022, then moved up to an NBA assistant role with Brooklyn through 2024. The Wizards hired him as an assistant last year, and now he’s the No. 2 under Keefe. He also coaches Australia’s national team.
This whole thing started earlier in the offseason when Washington promoted G League head coach Cody Toppert to an assistant role with the big club. Toppert had been running the Capital City Go-Go since 2023, putting together 20-14 records both seasons and helping develop Justin Champagnie — who earned All-NBA G League Second Team honors in 2024 before signing a standard contract with the Wizards in March. Toppert’s old G League job went to Tevon Saddler, a Maryland native.
What this means for the Wizards moving forward
The Wizards are in full rebuild mode. They flipped the roster starting in January, moving veterans and stockpiling picks. The coaching staff changes suggest they’re trying to build a development pipeline from the G League up to the NBA roster. Vanterpool’s move to the front office might be about adding more basketball minds to the decision-making side, especially with the draft and player evaluation becoming critical.
Ewing’s arrival adds a Hall of Fame big man to work with Washington’s young frontcourt. Keefe now has a mix of experience and new voices around him. It’s a long-term play, not a quick fix. The Wizards know they’re not winning next season, but they want the foundation right.
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