CSKA Moscow officially hires Quin Snyder as assistant coach

45-year old American specialist Quin Snyder named the assistant coach with our team. The coached left the Los Angeles Lakers to sign “2+1” contract with CSKA.

Snyder played for the Duke Blue Devils from 1986-89. Following his time as an undergraduate and after a year at Duke Law School, Snyder simultaneously enrolled in Duke’s Fuqua School of Business in 1991. Taking time off from both programs a year later to serve as an assistant coach for the Los Angeles Clippers (1992-93), he returned to Duke in 1993 and served as an administrative assistant coach under Mike Krzyzewski for the next two seasons while completing his JD and MBA degrees. Upon graduation, Snyder became a full-time assistant coach at Duke (1995-97) and was subsequently promoted to associate head coach for the 1997-98 and 1998-99 seasons. He was widely credited with recruiting the group of student-athletes (including Trajan Langdon) who finished as NCAA runners-up in the 1998-99 season. The same year Snyder accepted the head coaching position at the University of Missouri. He eventually led the Tigers to four consecutive NCAA Tournament berths, including the Elite Eight in 2002, matching the deepest run ever made by a Missouri team in the NCAA Tournament. Linas Kleiza, Lithuanian National Team leader was one of his players in Missouri. Snyder spent three highly successful seasons as head coach of the NBA Development League’s Austin Toros, guiding them to three consecutive playoff appearances as well as an appearance in the 2008 D-League championship game. Snyder earned the D-League’s Dennis Johnson Coach of the Year award in 2008-09 (former CSKA forward Pops Mensah-Bonsu played for the team that season). He returned to the NBA in 2010 joining Philadelphia 76ers as an assistant coach. Snyder worked as an assistant coach with the Los Angeles Lakers last season.

Andrey Vatutin, CSKA head coach:
By inviting Ettore Messina after his year with the Lakers we count on implementing NBA technologies to our team. Therefore the arrival of Quin Snyder who has huge basketball experience of the highest level will help to fulfill our plans even more. Ettore and Trajan [Langdon] gave me the best feedback on Quin, Messina offered to invite him, and I am glad that Snyder agreed to work with CSKA despite the numerous offers in the NBA. I’d like to remind that he was a candidate for head coaching jobs for several NBA teams this offseason. I’d like to note also that the club did not consider any other coach to be Messina’s assistant.

Ettore Messina, CSKA head coach:
It is a big honor for me and the whole club that coach Snyder accepted the invitation to join our staff. I am sure that he will bring his NCAA and NBA experience into our work, he will help to develop our knowledge of basketball, our vision of the game. It should be noted that it is the first time when the coach of this level decided to work in Europe. I am sure that we will enjoy excellent, successful cooperation.

Quin Snyder, CSKA coach:
I feel both excited and grateful to have a chance to work for CSKA and to do so with Ettore Messina. Coach Messina has been a mentor to me and the chance to work with him at a club with a world renowned reputation for excellence is a once in a lifetime opportunity. Myself and my family look forward to calling Moscow our home.