Dwane Casey Emerges as Candidate to Coach Roma SPQR
Casey in the running
Veteran coach Dwane Casey is being considered for the first head coaching job at BC Roma SPQR, the new club co-founded by Luka Dončić and former Dallas Mavericks GM Donnie Nelson. The 69-year-old has been working as a senior adviser to basketball operations with the Detroit Pistons since stepping away from full-time coaching in 2023.
Casey brings decades of NBA experience, having coached the Minnesota Timberwolves, Toronto Raptors and Detroit Pistons. His most notable stretch came in Toronto, where he became the franchise’s winningest coach and guided the team to a 59-win regular season in 2017–18 — a season that earned him NBA Coach of the Year honors.
He also shares a history with Donnie Nelson from their time in Dallas, where Casey spent three seasons as an assistant and was part of the staff during the Mavericks’ 2011 championship run.
Club plans and next steps
Roma SPQR is gearing up for its debut after acquiring Vanoli Cremona and relocating the franchise to Rome for the 2026–27 season. The ownership group includes Donnie Nelson, Luka Dončić, former Lithuanian international Rimantas Kaukenas and veteran Italian coach Valerio Bianchini.
The club will play in Italy’s Serie A and the EuroCup in its first season, and it has also positioned itself as a potential candidate for future pan-European competitions. Roma SPQR is weighing both experienced international coaches and European candidates as it finalizes its coach ahead of next season.
If Casey takes the job, he would bring a steady defensive focus and extensive NBA know-how to a team intent on making an immediate impact in Italian and European basketball.
