The New Orleans Pelicans have elevated assistant James Borrego to serve as the team’s interim head coach, following the organization’s decision to dismiss Willie Green on Saturday morning.
Borrego steps into the role with a substantial amount of prior head-coaching experience, making him a natural choice for the transition.
Borrego previously led the Orlando Magic, taking over as their interim coach for 30 games in 2015. After that stint, he became the head coach of the Charlotte Hornets, guiding the franchise for four seasons from 2018 through 2022.
His background as both an assistant and a head coach has made him one of the more seasoned staff members on New Orleans’ bench.
In recent weeks, it had been reported that the Pelicans were intentionally preventing Borrego from pursuing other assistant coaching opportunities around the league.
According to those reports, New Orleans wanted to retain him as an internal option should they decide to part ways with Green – a move that ultimately materialized.
James Borrego Named Pelicans Interim Head Coach https://t.co/zCc87uunPg
— RealGM (@RealGM) November 15, 2025
