Jerry Colangelo joins 76ers as chairman of basketball operations

Jerry Colangelo, the chairman of the board of directors for USA Basketball, is joining the Philadelphia 76ers as its new chairman of basketball operations, the team announced Monday.

He will also take on the position of special advisor to the managing general partner.

"Jerry Colangelo is one of the most respected people in basketball and we are excited to add his five decades of knowledge, relationships and experience to help drive our organization forward," Sixers co-managing owner Josh Harris said in a statement.

Colangelo, 76, is looking forward to the challenge of helping rebuild the lowly 76ers, who are currently 1-20 and have won fewer than 20 games in each of the past two seasons.

"I am excited and energized about the opportunity to work with Josh Harris and this ownership group in their continued efforts to build something lasting and special here with the Sixers," Colangelo said. "This is an organization with a storied history, strong and talented leadership and a number of promising pieces that have the potential for a very bright future."

Colangelo wore many different hats while with the Phoenix Suns from 1968 through 2012, including chief executive officer, chairman, president, general manager, and head coach. He was named NBA Executive of the Year on four occasions (1976, 1981, 1989, and 1993), was inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in 2004, and added to the Suns' Ring of Honor in 2007.

Sam Hinkie will maintain his roles as the 76ers' president of basketball operations and general manager. He will also continue to have the final say on all personnel decisions following collaboration with Colangelo.

"We're still committed to the process," Harris said during the introductory press conference," according to Tom Moore of the Bucks County Courier Times. "We're committed to Sam. Don't expect radical changes to the process."

Changes in management will not affect the job status of current head coach Brett Brown, who is "very likely" to receive a contract extension, league sources told Yahoo Sports' Adrian Wojnarowski.

"I am in deep conversations about my contract," Brown said Monday. "This is where I want to be."