In another offseason move, the reigning champs’ loss is another team’s gain. The Philadelphia 76ers have made a notable addition to head coach Nick Nurse’s staff, with former New York Knicks assistant coach and player development specialist Daisuke “Dice” Yoshimoto officially joining the revamped team as an assistant coach and head video coordinator.

According to the team’s official staff directory, Yoshimoto brings over a decade of NBA experience to Philadelphia as the franchise gears up for a star-studded ‘championship or bust’ 2026–27 campaign centered around a loaded core featuring LeBron James, Jaylen Brown, Joel Embiid, and Tyrese Maxey.

The 45-year-old Yoshimoto arrives in Philadelphia with a proven track record across both the NBA and international basketball circuits. He spent the 2025–26 season in the NBA G League as an assistant coach for the Grand Rapids Gold.

In February 2026, he was named an assistant coach for the Japanese men’s national basketball team under head coach Dai Oketani. His extensive international background also includes serving as a video coordinator for the Ukraine national team during the 2011 FIBA EuroBasket tournament.

Within the NBA, Yoshimoto is widely recognized as a trusted confidant of former Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau. Their professional partnership began with the Chicago Bulls, where Yoshimoto served as an assistant and video coordinator from 2011 to 2016. He later followed Thibs to the Minnesota Timberwolves as a special assistant to the head of basketball operations and player development coach before the duo reunited in New York in 2020. Yoshimoto initially served as a special assistant to the head coach before being elevated to full-time assistant coach in 2022.

Thibodeau’s firing in 2025 ended their long professional partnership. Yoshimoto was not retained on Mike Brown’s staff and instead spent the 2025–26 season as an assistant coach for the Grand Rapids Gold while the Knicks won the title under Brown. He had previously headed New York’s NBA Summer League entry on multiple occasions.

Knicks fans bitter about losing staffer to LeBron James’ team

Yoshimoto’s decision to move from New York to their fiercest Atlantic Division rival immediately sparked passionate reactions across the Knicks’ fan community. Social media erupted as fans processed the hiring, with many pointing out the strategic implications of losing a key staffer to Philadelphia.

So many expressed concern over the tactical intelligence being shared, claiming that Philadelphia was collecting all the secrets, thinking it would be enough to get them a win.

Another user took a more adversarial tone regarding the division jump, stating Yoshimoto could have gone to any team outside the division and received congratulations, but instead got the “traitor treatment” as part of the opposition.

The sting of a longtime staff member moving to the 76ers was a common theme among supporters struggling with the announcement. But many were also surprised by how much LeBron’s arrival in Philly has made it the biggest employment destination in the league.

After acquiring Jaylen Brown in the trade, acquiring LeBron James has been a big boost to the Sixers’ ticket and merchandise sales. They even have the busiest national broadcast schedule. One fan admitted they can’t reconcile with a Knicks assistant walking to Philly of all places, before claiming that they won’t succeed despite stacking the deck.

For the Knicks, this is the latest setback, not limited to Mitchell Robinson going to Boston. Yoshimoto’s former colleague, assistant coach and challenges guru, Jordan Brink, also took a job at the Chicago Bulls this season. Another assistant coach, Carson Shanks, also joined the other Knicks enemy, the San Antonio Spurs, on their G-League team.

Perhaps the biggest heartbreak was Gersson Rosas, a key front-office executive who helped build the championship roster, stepped away as senior VP of basketball operations after fulfilling his championship promise.

The acquisition of Yoshimoto underlines Philadelphia’s commitment to building a top-tier support system under Nick Nurse as the 76ers navigate the intense expectations surrounding their championship-caliber roster.

By combining the roles of assistant coach and head video coordinator, Yoshimoto is positioned at the intersection of game planning, film breakdown, and individual player development.

His primary responsibilities will focus on opponent scouting and detailed performance analysis, identifying subtle schematic advantages for Nurse’s coaching staff to leverage nightly.

Given his years of experience working closely with heavy-minute stars under Thibodeau, Yoshimoto’s background in player development provides another valuable resource for a roster balancing veteran superstars like James and Embiid with younger core talents like Maxey.

His intimate knowledge of Eastern Conference opponents, specifically the tactical tendencies of the division-rival Knicks, adds an immediate layer of advanced scouting depth to the 76ers’ bench.