Sioux Falls Skyforce name Kasib Powell team's new head coach

Sep. 17—SIOUX FALLS — The Miami Heat announced Wednesday that Kasib Powell has been promoted to head coach of the Sioux Falls Skyforce.

With the promotion, Powell becomes the 21st head coach in Sioux Falls' 32-season history and is the sixth-straight coach to be hand-selected by the Heat following the single-affiliation partnership established in 2013.

"I'm so excited for Kasib to get this opportunity," said Skyforce President Mike Heineman in a team 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."

"I'm honored to be named head coach of such a great organization, with so much history and prestige," said Powell. "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 was originally hired by the Miami Heat and Sioux Falls Skyforce as an assistant coach in 2016, a position he has held for each of the past four seasons while serving under former head coaches Nevada Smith and Eric Glass.

Powell was also head coach of the fledgling Mitchell-based Dakota Magic semi-pro basketball team for its only season, while it was in the National Basketball League of America, which disbanded in 2017.

Since then, Powell's career has only gotten stronger with the Skyforce. His legacy in Sioux Falls, however, extends far beyond his time as an assistant coach for the team.

As a player during the 2007-08 season, Powell put together one of the greatest statistical performances in Skyforce franchise history, appearing in 40 games (38 starts) while averaging 22.2 points, 6.0 rebounds and 3.0 assists per contest. His efforts earned him NBA G-League MVP honors that season, becoming the first player in franchise history to earn a league MVP award. He capped that season by earning an NBA call-up to the Miami Heat, where he ultimately signed for the remainder of the 2007-08 season.

Powell went on to join the Skyforce again for part of the 2008-09 season, averaging 18.6 points, 4.1 assists and 4.0 rebounds per game in 20 appearances (15 starts) before accepting an offer to play overseas, where he finished out his playing career. Powell and his family have lived in Sioux Falls since his retirement in 2012.