Former Heat forward Kasib Powell named head coach of team’s G League affiliate

A familiar face will lead the Miami Heat’s G League affiliate this season.

The Sioux Falls Skyforce announced that Kasib Powell has been promoted from assistant coach to head coach of the team. While the Skyforce skipped last season amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Powell spent the previous four seasons as a Sioux Falls assistant coach.

The Skyforce will play this upcoming G League season, which opens with a 14-game tournament named the Showcase Cup that begins on Nov. 5 and concludes at the annual NBA G League Winter Showcase in December.

“I’m honored to be named head coach of such a great organization, with so much history and prestige,” Powell said in a statement. “I look forward to guiding these young men to be the best they can be, both on and off the court. I’m excited to have such a supportive community, and I couldn’t ask for a better opportunity to continue a legacy and add to it as well.”

Powell’s connection to the Skyforce extends beyond his time as an assistant coach, as he also spent two seasons (2007-09) with Sioux Falls as a player and earned the 2007-08 NBA G League MVP award after averaging 22.2 points, six rebounds and three assists.

Powell, 40, then signed with the Heat on March 22, 2008 to a 10-day contract and later was re-signed for the remainder of the season. The 6-7 forward appeared in 11 games (four starts) with Miami, averaging 7.6 points, four rebounds and 1.6 assists.

In total, Powell’s professional playing career spanned nine seasons and included stops in the NBA, G League and overseas. He went undrafted in 2003 out of Texas Tech.

“I’m so excited for Kasib to get this opportunity,” Skyforce president Mike Heineman said in a statement. “He has been such a giant figure throughout the history of the Skyforce as a league MVP player, an assistant coach and now as our head coach. I am proud that he will be the person leading our team this season.”

The Skyforce won the G League championship in 2016 under former Heat assistant coach and current Los Angeles Clippers assistant coach Dan Craig. Powell is the sixth consecutive Sioux Falls head coach who has been chosen by the Heat, as he joins a list that includes Eric Glass (coached Skyforce in 2019-20), Nevada Smith (2016-19) and Craig (2015-16).

With Powell now at the helm, Glass will return to the Heat to be part of Erik Spoelstra’s coaching staff this upcoming season.