EDINBURG — The RGV Vipers are planning to name Kevin Burleson as their new head coach during a news conference later today, according to officials.
Burleson, most recently a player development coach for the Minnesota Timberwolves, will become the ninth head coach in the history of the team, which started operations during the 2007-2008 season.
The Vipers, an affiliate of the NBA’s Houston Rockets, are the defending NBA G League champions after head coach Mahmoud Abdelfattah led them to league-best fourth title, last season. Abdelfattah was hired as a Rockets’ assistant coach during the offseason.
Prior to that title, Joseph Blair coached the team to a third title. Blair is now an assistant coach with the Washington Wizards, after holding similar positions with the Timberwolves and Philadelphia 76ers.
Burleson has been with the Timberwolves since 2019 after spending the 2018-19 season with the Memphis Grizzlies. He began his coaching career with the Iowa Wolves of the G League in 2017.
A Seattle, Washington native, Burleson played for the University of Minnesota from 1999-2003. After not being selected in the 2003 NBA draft, Burleson began his professional career in Germany for USC Heidelberg in 2003. The Charlotte Bobcats signed him in 2005 but cut him later that season.
He played in the G League for the Idaho Stampede. He finished his playing career with Al-Ittihad Alexandria of Egypt.
Burleson comes from an athletic family that the Seattle Post Intelligence called “the first family of Seattle sports” in a 2006 article.
“The Burlesons — specifically Al Sr., Al Jr., Kevin, Nate and Lyndale — provide bloodlines, if not sweat glands, that locally have no equal in terms of collective success rate and competitive balance,” wrote Dan Raley in the Sept. 12, 2006 edition of the Seattle P-I.
“Coming close are the Tuiasosopos, if not the Richardsons. Yet beginning with Dad, a much-decorated defensive back for the Washington Huskies and CFL’s Calgary Stampeders, the Burlesons boast the most accolades, even offering a sports rarity.
“Nate Burleson, a starting wide receiver for the Seahawks, and Kevin Burleson, a reserve point guard for the Charlotte Bobcats, are believed to be just the second set of siblings to make it to the highest levels of pro football and basketball, joining the now-retired Cris and Butch Carter, Ohio natives and also a pass catcher and playmaker.”
“It’s a unique situation, where there are four boys, close in age, and you could compete against each other every day,” the then 27-year old Kevin Burleson said. “Our dad, being in sports, bred that into us. It’s a competitive household.”
The Vipers have won titles in 2022 (Abdelfattah), 2019 (Blair), 2013 (Nick Nurse) and 2010 (Chris Finch). Nurse also became the first coach to win both a G League and NBA title, taking the Raptors to the championship in 2019. Finch is the head coach of the Minnesota Timberwolves.
The Vipers will open the 2022-23 season on the road Nov. 6 against the Mexico City Capitanes, who will be joining the G League throughout the full season. Then, the Vipers will host the Birmingham Squadron for the home opener at Bert Ogden Arena on Friday, Nov. 11. This season’s home opener will consist of a ring ceremony to celebrate the 2021-22 NBA G League Champions. The Vipers will be presented with their championship ring, while also witnessing the unveiling of the fourth championship banner.
