Eric Musselman
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Eric Musselman (born November 19, 1964) is an American
college basketball In United States colleges, top-tier basketball is governed by collegiate athletic bodies including National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), the United States Collegiate Athleti ...
coach who is the current head men's basketball coach at the
University of Arkansas The University of Arkansas (U of A, UArk, or UA) is a public land-grant research university in Fayetteville, Arkansas. It is the flagship campus of the University of Arkansas System and the largest university in the state. Founded as Arkansas ...
. He is the former head coach of the
Sacramento Kings The Sacramento Kings are an American professional basketball team based in Sacramento, California. The Kings compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Western Conference Pacific Division. The Kings are the oldest ...
and Golden State Warriors of the
National Basketball Association The National Basketball Association (NBA) is a professional basketball league in North America. The league is composed of 30 teams (29 in the United States and 1 in Canada) and is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United St ...
(NBA). Between head coaching stints at Golden State and Sacramento, Musselman served as an assistant for the
Memphis Grizzlies The Memphis Grizzlies (referred to locally as the Grizz) are an American professional basketball team based in Memphis, Tennessee. The Grizzlies compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Western Conference ...
under
Mike Fratello Michael Robert Fratello (born February 24, 1947) is an American sports broadcaster and a professional basketball coach. Fratello is currently an analyst for Fox Sports Ohio for the Cavaliers and a part-time color commentator for Fox Sports West f ...
. He moved to the college coaching ranks in 2012 as an assistant at
Arizona State Arizona State University (Arizona State or ASU) is a public research university in the Phoenix metropolitan area. Founded in 1885 by the 13th Arizona Territorial Legislature, ASU is one of the largest public universities by enrollment in the ...
. From 2014–19, he was the head coach for
Nevada Nevada ( ; ) is a state in the Western region of the United States. It is bordered by Oregon to the northwest, Idaho to the northeast, California to the west, Arizona to the southeast, and Utah to the east. Nevada is the 7th-most extensive, ...
. The son of former NBA head coach
Bill Musselman William Clifford Musselman (August 13, 1940 – May 5, 2000) was an American basketball coach in the NCAA, the ABA, the WBA, the CBA, and the NBA. He was known for his trademark intensity, once being quoted as saying, "Defeat is worse than deat ...
, Eric Musselman was a head coach in the Continental Basketball Association (CBA) before becoming an assistant coach with the
Minnesota Timberwolves The Minnesota Timberwolves are an American professional basketball team based in Minneapolis. The Timberwolves compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Western Conference Northwest Division. Founded in 19 ...
, Orlando Magic (under Chuck Daly and
Doc Rivers Glenn Anton "Doc" Rivers (born October 13, 1961) is an American professional basketball coach and former player who is the head coach for the Philadelphia 76ers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). After playing for Marquette Universit ...
), and
Atlanta Hawks The Atlanta Hawks are an American professional basketball team based in Atlanta. The Hawks compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference Southeast Division. The team plays its home games at ...
(under
Lon Kruger Lonnie Duane Kruger (born August 19, 1952) is a retired American college and professional basketball coach who was most recently the men's basketball head coach of the University of Oklahoma. Kruger played college basketball for Kansas State Uni ...
).


Early life


High school

Musselman grew up in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and
San Diego, California San Diego ( , ; ) is a city on the Pacific Ocean coast of Southern California located immediately adjacent to the Mexico–United States border. With a 2020 population of 1,386,932, it is the eighth most populous city in the United Stat ...
, before moving to suburban Cleveland, Ohio, where he attended Brecksville-Broadview Heights High School in Brecksville, a suburb about 15 miles south of Cleveland. There, he played on the same high school basketball team as former NBA player
Scott Roth Scott Edward Roth (born June 3, 1963) is an American professional basketball coach and former player who is the head coach of the Tasmania JackJumpers of the Australian National Basketball League (NBL). Early life Roth was born in Cleveland, Oh ...
and former NFL Pro Bowl punter/quarterback
Tom Tupa Thomas Joseph Tupa Jr. (born February 6, 1966) is a former American football punter and quarterback in the National Football League. Personal life and high school career As a child, Tupa participated in the NFL's Punt, Pass, and Kick contest, ...
.


College playing career

Musselman graduated from the University of San Diego, where he played basketball for
Jim Brovelli James Mario Brovelli (born April 15, 1942) is the former men's basketball head coach of the University of San Francisco (USF) Dons and hall of fame player. Biography As a player Brovelli was a three-year letterman for USF, helping lead the Don ...
and Hank Egan, both of whom would later work as NBA assistants. While Musselman was at USD (1983–87), the Toreros compiled a 77–36 record. He was a member of the 1986–87 team that compiled a 24–6 record, the best in school history. The Toreros lost to Auburn University in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, 62–61. Among Musselman's teammates at USD were Scott Thompson, a 7-foot
center Center or centre may refer to: Mathematics *Center (geometry), the middle of an object * Center (algebra), used in various contexts ** Center (group theory) ** Center (ring theory) * Graph center, the set of all vertices of minimum eccentrici ...
who was drafted in the fourth round by the
Washington Bullets The Washington Wizards are an American professional basketball team based in Washington, D.C. The Wizards compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference Southeast Division. The team plays ...
in the
1987 NBA draft The 1987 NBA draft was held on June 22, 1987, in New York City. This draft included two future members of the NBA 50 Greatest Players list, David Robinson and Scottie Pippen, as well as fellow Hall of Famer Reggie Miller, who was named to t ...
, and
Mike Whitmarsh Michael John Whitmarsh (May 18, 1962 – February 17, 2009) was an American male volleyball and basketball player. He won the silver medal in the men's inaugural beach volleyball tournament at the 1996 Summer Olympics, partnering with Mike Dodd. ...
, who won a silver medal in beach volleyball at the
1996 Summer Olympics The 1996 Summer Olympics (officially the Games of the XXVI Olympiad, also known as Atlanta 1996 and commonly referred to as the Centennial Olympic Games) were an international multi-sport event held from July 19 to August 4, 1996, in Atlanta, ...
in Atlanta. Musselman was a fifth-round CBA draft choice of the Albany Patroons in 1987.


Coaching career


Early coaching career (1989–1997)

In the CBA, Musselman posted a 270–122 record (.688), marking the second highest winning percentage in league history behind
George Karl George Matthew Karl (born May 12, 1951) is an American former professional basketball coach and player. After spending five years as a player for the San Antonio Spurs, Karl became an assistant with the team before getting the chance to become a ...
, who coached for five seasons in the CBA. Musselman began his CBA career in 1988 as the general manager of the
Rapid City Thrillers The Rapid City Thrillers were a semi-professional basketball team in Rapid City, South Dakota, that competed in the Continental Basketball Association beginning in the 1987 season. They were reincarnated in 1998 as an International Basketball As ...
, a franchise his father Bill had coached to three consecutive CBA titles during the 1980s. His first week on the job, he hired
Flip Saunders Philip Daniel "Flip" Saunders (February 23, 1955 – October 25, 2015) was an American basketball player and coach. During his career, he coached the La Crosse Catbirds, Minnesota Timberwolves, Detroit Pistons, and Washington Wizards. High schoo ...
as the team's head coach. Saunders, who was recruited by
Bill Musselman William Clifford Musselman (August 13, 1940 – May 5, 2000) was an American basketball coach in the NCAA, the ABA, the WBA, the CBA, and the NBA. He was known for his trademark intensity, once being quoted as saying, "Defeat is worse than deat ...
when Bill was the head coach at the
University of Minnesota The University of Minnesota, formally the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, (UMN Twin Cities, the U of M, or Minnesota) is a public land-grant research university in the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and Saint Paul, Minnesota, United States. ...
during the early 1970s, would go on to be one of the winningest coaches in CBA history before moving to the NBA as coach of the
Minnesota Timberwolves The Minnesota Timberwolves are an American professional basketball team based in Minneapolis. The Timberwolves compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Western Conference Northwest Division. Founded in 19 ...
. In the 1989–90 season, at age 24, Musselman became the Thrillers head coach. The following season, Musselman joined his father Bill's staff on the NBA's
Minnesota Timberwolves The Minnesota Timberwolves are an American professional basketball team based in Minneapolis. The Timberwolves compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Western Conference Northwest Division. Founded in 19 ...
as assistant coach making him the youngest front-bench assistant coach in NBA history. Prior to joining the Thrillers, Musselman worked for the NBA's
Los Angeles Clippers The Los Angeles Clippers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles. The Clippers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Pacific Division in the league's Western Conference. The Clipper ...
as an assistant to General Manager
Elgin Baylor Elgin Gay Baylor ( ; September 16, 1934 – March 22, 2021) was an American professional basketball player, coach, and executive. He played 14 seasons as a forward in the National Basketball Association (NBA) for the Minneapolis/Los Angeles Lak ...
and Barry Hecker, the team's director of scouting. From 1990–1997, Musselman had 24 players called up to the NBA, the highest number in the league during that span. He holds the distinction of being the only person in CBA history to coach in five league All-Star Games (1990, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1997) and was the first coach in professional basketball history to win 100 games by the age of 28. When he was 23, Musselman became the youngest coach in CBA history. Musselman also served as head coach of the Florida Sharks of the
United States Basketball League The United States Basketball League (USBL) was a professional men's spring basketball league. The league was formed in 1985 and ceased operations in 2008. The USBL started in 1985 as one of the first basketball leagues to play a late-spring to ...
(USBL). In the summers of 1995 and 1996, he coached the Sharks to a combined 53–3 record (.946, including playoffs) and back-to-back USBL Championships. He holds the highest winning percentage in league history.


Orlando Magic, Atlanta Hawks assistant (1998–2002)

Musselman was an assistant coach for the Orlando Magic from 1998 to 2000 under Chuck Daly and
Doc Rivers Glenn Anton "Doc" Rivers (born October 13, 1961) is an American professional basketball coach and former player who is the head coach for the Philadelphia 76ers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). After playing for Marquette Universit ...
who would go on to be named NBA Coach of the Year in the 1999-00 season, then also for the
Atlanta Hawks The Atlanta Hawks are an American professional basketball team based in Atlanta. The Hawks compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference Southeast Division. The team plays its home games at ...
from 2000 to 2002 under
Lon Kruger Lonnie Duane Kruger (born August 19, 1952) is a retired American college and professional basketball coach who was most recently the men's basketball head coach of the University of Oklahoma. Kruger played college basketball for Kansas State Uni ...
.


Golden State Warriors (2002–2004)

In 2002, Musselman was named the head coach of the Golden State Warriors, a position he held for two years. He finished as runner-up to San Antonio's
Gregg Popovich Gregg Charles Popovich (born January 28, 1949) is an American professional basketball coach and executive who is the president and head coach of the San Antonio Spurs of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Taking over as coach of the Spur ...
in
NBA Coach of the Year Award The National Basketball Association's Coach of the Year is an annual National Basketball Association (NBA) award given since the 1962–63 NBA season. The winner receives the Red Auerbach Trophy, which is named in honor of the head coach who le ...
voting in 2002–2003 with 231 points, including 26 first-place votes. That season, under Musselman's guidance, the Warriors, for the first time in nearly a decade, reached the .500 mark late in the season, holding a record of 30–30 on March 4, 2003. In Musselman's rookie season, his club finished 38–44, the most wins in more than 10 years. Despite numerous injuries and the loss of the team's top two players in
Gilbert Arenas Gilbert Jay Arenas Jr. (; born January 6, 1982) is an American former professional basketball player. Arenas attended Grant High School in the Valley Glen district of Los Angeles, and accepted a scholarship offer to the University of Arizona lat ...
(signed with Washington) and Antawn Jamison (traded to Dallas), the team still finished 37–45 under his direction during the 2003–2004 season. In two seasons as head coach in Golden State, Musselman compiled a 75–89 record. Nevertheless, he was let go after the 2004 season ended when
Chris Mullin Christopher Paul Mullin (born July 30, 1963) is an American former professional basketball player, executive and coach. He is a two-time Olympic Gold medalist and a two-time Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame inductee (in 2010 as a memb ...
took over as the team's general manager. Musselman's .457 winning percentage with Golden State ranks 10th all-time among Warriors coaches, behind Steve Kerr (.709 through 2019–2020), Neil Johnson (.617),
Frank McGuire Frank Joseph McGuire (November 8, 1913 – October 11, 1994) was an American basketball coach. At the collegiate level, he was head coach for three major programs: St. John's, North Carolina, and South Carolina, winning over a hundred games at e ...
(.613),
George Senesky George Lawrence Senesky (April 4, 1922 – June 25, 2001) was an American professional basketball player and coach. A 6'2" guard from Saint Joseph's University, he was the 1942–43 College Basketball Season's Consensus Player of the Year and pl ...
(.551), Bill Sharman (.534), Al Attles (.518), Don Nelson (.487), Mark Jackson (.473) and George Lee (.470).


Memphis Grizzlies assistant (2004–2006)

After his two seasons as head coach of the Golden State Warriors, Musselman was an assistant coach for the
Memphis Grizzlies The Memphis Grizzlies (referred to locally as the Grizz) are an American professional basketball team based in Memphis, Tennessee. The Grizzlies compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Western Conference ...
under
Mike Fratello Michael Robert Fratello (born February 24, 1947) is an American sports broadcaster and a professional basketball coach. Fratello is currently an analyst for Fox Sports Ohio for the Cavaliers and a part-time color commentator for Fox Sports West f ...
from 2004 to 2006.


Sacramento Kings (2006–2007)

On June 2, 2006, Musselman was named head coach of the
Sacramento Kings The Sacramento Kings are an American professional basketball team based in Sacramento, California. The Kings compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Western Conference Pacific Division. The Kings are the oldest ...
, replacing
Rick Adelman Richard Leonard Adelman (born June 16, 1946) is an American former professional basketball player and coach. He coached 23 seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Adelman served as head coach of the Portland Trail Blazers, Golden ...
. Four months into the job, on October 21, 2006, Musselman was cited for
DUI Driving under the influence (DUI)—also called driving while impaired, impaired driving, driving while intoxicated (DWI), drunk driving, operating while intoxicated (OWI), operating under the influence (OUI), operating vehicle under the infl ...
in
Sacramento ) , image_map = Sacramento County California Incorporated and Unincorporated areas Sacramento Highlighted.svg , mapsize = 250x200px , map_caption = Location within Sacramento ...
. At the time, Musselman said, "Alcohol has never been a big part of my life. I don't allow it in my house. My sons have never seen me take a sip of anything." According to , a sports columnist for '' The Sacramento Bee'', " usselmandrinks so infrequently, in fact, that he can count the number of beers he consumes per month." In the first month of the season (November 2006) with Musselman at the helm, the Kings went 8–5. But the team slumped in December and January, posting a 10–21 record before going 7–6 in February 2007. The Kings finished 33–49 on the season. Musselman was fired by Sacramento President of Basketball Operations
Geoff Petrie Geoffrey Michael Petrie (born April 17, 1948) is an American former professional basketball player. A native of Pennsylvania, he played professional basketball in the National Basketball Association (NBA) for the Portland Trail Blazers where he ...
on April 20, 2007. Musselman's .402 winning percentage with Sacramento ranks fourth all-time among Kings coaches, behind
Rick Adelman Richard Leonard Adelman (born June 16, 1946) is an American former professional basketball player and coach. He coached 23 seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Adelman served as head coach of the Portland Trail Blazers, Golden ...
(.633),
Reggie Theus Reginald Wayne Theus (born October 13, 1957) is an American basketball coach and former player. He played 13 seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA), where he was a two-time NBA All-Star. He is currently the head men's basketball he ...
(.415) and Garry St. Jean (.403).


NBA D-League (2010–2012)

On August 11, 2010, Musselman was named head coach of the NBA Development League's
Reno Bighorns Reno ( ) is a city in the northwest section of the U.S. state of Nevada, along the Nevada-California border, about north from Lake Tahoe, known as "The Biggest Little City in the World". Known for its casino and tourism industry, Reno is the ...
. Under his watch, several players, including
Marcus Landry Marcus Landry (born November 1, 1985) is an American professional basketball player who last played for Goyang Orions of the Korean Basketball League. Landry attended Vincent High School in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and played his college basketball ...
, Jeremy Lin,
Courtney Fortson Courtney Fortson (born May 23, 1988) is an American professional basketball player for Spójnia Stargard of the Polish Basketball League (PLK). He played college basketball for the Arkansas Razorbacks. High school Fortson attended Jefferson Dav ...
, Donald Sloan and
Hassan Whiteside Hassan Niam Whiteside (born June 13, 1989) is an American professional basketball player who last played for the Utah Jazz of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for the Marshall Thundering Herd before being s ...
were called up to the NBA and the Bighorns finished 34–16 and first in the D-League Western Conference. Musselman was named head coach of the Los Angeles D-Fenders on August 18, 2011. ''Sports Illustrated'' called Musselman one of the "best teachers" in the D-League. During the 2011–12 season, he guided the team to a 38–12 record, the best mark in league history. The D-Fenders, who finished with the best defensive FG percentage in the league, advanced to the D-League finals before losing to the Austin Toros, in a three-game series. In April 2012, Musselman was named the 2011–12 D-League Coach of the Year. A month later, in May 2012, the D-Fenders were named the 2011–12 NBA D-League Development Champion, which recognizes "the team that best embodies the NBA D-League's goals of developing NBA basketball talent via call-ups and assignments."


Arizona State assistant (2012–2014)

Under
Herb Sendek Herbert Joseph Sendek Jr. (born February 22, 1963) is an American college basketball coach who is the current men's basketball head coach at Santa Clara. Early life Herbert Joseph Sendek, Jr. of Slovak descent, grew up in Pittsburgh and attended ...
, Musselman was assistant coach at
Arizona State Arizona State University (Arizona State or ASU) is a public research university in the Phoenix metropolitan area. Founded in 1885 by the 13th Arizona Territorial Legislature, ASU is one of the largest public universities by enrollment in the ...
in the 2012–13 season, then was promoted to associate head coach in 2013. In two seasons with the Sun Devils, Musselman helped ASU to the NIT Tournament in 2013 and the NCAA Tournament in 2014. The team went 21–12 in both seasons.


LSU assistant (2014–2015)

In June 2014, Musselman became associate head coach at
LSU Louisiana State University (officially Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College, commonly referred to as LSU) is a public land-grant research university in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The university was founded in 1860 near ...
under Johnny Jones. In Musselman's one season with the Tigers, LSU went 22–10 and reached the NCAA Tournament, losing to North Carolina State, 66–65, in the first round.


Nevada (2015–19)

On March 25, 2015, the
University of Nevada, Reno The University of Nevada, Reno (Nevada, the University of Nevada, or UNR) is a public land-grant research university in Reno, Nevada. It is the state's flagship public university and primary land grant institution. It was founded on October 12 ...
hired Musselman as head coach for the Nevada Wolf Pack men's basketball team. In early March 2016, Bleacher Report named Musselman the Mountain West Coach of the Year after guiding the Wolf Pack to an 18–12 record, a 9-win improvement over the previous season. The team's winning percentage jumped from 31 to 60, which ranked as the 11th best improvement nationally. Following the 2015–16 season, Nevada was invited to play in the
College Basketball Invitational The College Basketball Invitational (CBI) is a men's college basketball tournament created in 2007 by The Gazelle Group. The inaugural tournament occurred after the conclusion of the 2007–08 men's college basketball regular season. The CBI s ...
(CBI), winning its first three games to improve its season record to 21–12 and advance to the CBI championship series vs Morehead State. According to Chris Murray, a reporter who covered the team for the Reno Gazette-Journal, "No coach in Nevada basketball history has done a better job of getting everything out of the talent on the roster. It might be the best coaching job in Wolf Pack hoops history." Nevada's 2016 recruiting class was ranked as the 35th best in the nation by 247Sports. Musselman's 2016–17 Wolf Pack team went 14–4 in conference play to win the Mountain West regular season title. The team also won the 2017 MWC postseason tournament championship to earn a bid in the NCAA men's basketball tournament. Nevada finished 28–7 overall for the season, tied for the second-most wins in school history. In December 2017, Musselman's Nevada team was ranked in the top 25, the first time since 2007 that the Wolf Pack had ranked among the top 25 teams nationally. Musselman was named 2017–18 Mountain West Coach of the Year after guiding the Wolf Pack to a 15–3 conference record and the MWC regular season title. He was also named the Coach of the Year for District 17 by the
National Association of Basketball Coaches The National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC), headquartered in Kansas City, Missouri, is an American organization of men's college basketball coaches. It was founded in 1927 by Phog Allen, head men's basketball coach at the University ...
. The team set a school record for most wins in a season. In March 2018, Nevada was announced as an at-large selection for the
NCAA men's basketball tournament The NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament, branded as NCAA March Madness and commonly called March Madness, is a single-elimination tournament played each spring in the United States, currently featuring 68 college basketball teams from ...
as a seventh seed. In their first round game, the Wolf Pack came back from 14 points down to defeat
Texas Texas (, ; Spanish: ''Texas'', ''Tejas'') is a state in the South Central region of the United States. At 268,596 square miles (695,662 km2), and with more than 29.1 million residents in 2020, it is the second-largest U.S. state by ...
, 87–83. In Round 2, Nevada rallied from a 22-point deficit to upset second-seeded
Cincinnati Cincinnati ( ) is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located at the northern side of the confluence of the Licking and Ohio rivers, the latter of which marks the state line wit ...
, 75–73, propelling the Wolf Pack to its second Sweet 16 appearance in school history. During the 2017–18 season, Nevada finished 12–3 in true road games. Those 12 victories were a single-season school record and tied for most in the country. In May 2018 Musselman and staff signed ESPN's 31st ranked recruit in the 2018 class Jordan Brown. Brown became the highest-ranked recruit to commit to Nevada since Reno native Luke Babbitt pledged to play for his local school in 2008. On September 5, 2018, the Nevada athletics department announced that season tickets for the upcoming men's basketball season were officially sold out. To start the 2018–19 season, Nevada was ranked #7 in the preseason
Associated Press poll The Associated Press poll (AP poll) provides weekly rankings of the top 25 NCAA teams in one of three Division I college sports: football, men's basketball and women's basketball. The rankings are compiled by polling 62 sportswriters and broadca ...
and #9 in the
USA Today Coaches Poll The Coaches Poll is a weekly ranking of the top 25 NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) college football, Division I college basketball, and Division I college baseball teams. The football version of the poll has been known officiall ...
. It is the highest ranking in school history for the Wolf Pack. The previous top ranking was #9 on Feb. 26, 2007. Additionally, the #7 ranking was the highest preseason ranking in Mountain West Conference history. The Nevada Wolf Pack finished the year ranked in the Associated Press Top 25 all 20 weeks of the college basketball season, with the highest ranking in school history coming in week 4 with a #5 AP ranking. On November 6, Nevada opened the season with an 86–70 victory over BYU. Caroline scored a game-high 25 points, with 21 coming in the second half. Nevada opened the season with the only starting lineup in college basketball consisting of all fifth-year seniors. On November 27, the wolf pack avenge their Sweet 16 loss in March to Loyola-Chicago by defeating Loyola, 79–65, in Chicago. The Pack, now ranked No. 5 in the country, was led by Caleb Martin (21 points) and Cody Martin (20 points). A week later, Nevada rallied in the 2nd half to defeat #20
Arizona State Arizona State University (Arizona State or ASU) is a public research university in the Phoenix metropolitan area. Founded in 1885 by the 13th Arizona Territorial Legislature, ASU is one of the largest public universities by enrollment in the ...
72–66 in the Staples Center in
Los Angeles, California Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world' ...
. In front of the 12th-largest crowd in Lawlor Events Center History, the Wolf Pack honored its Seniors beating San Diego State 81–53, and earning its third straight Mountain West Conference regular season title. The Pack became the third team in Mountain West Conference history to win three straight regular season conference titles. Nevada's 2018–19 season shattered the all-time attendance record at
Lawlor Events Center Lawlor Events Center is northern Nevada's largest multi-purpose arena. It is located in Reno, Nevada at the intersection of North Virginia Street and 15th Street on the University of Nevada, Reno campus. It is named after former athletic director, ...
. The season total of 163,169 broke the former record set in 2005-06 of 150,674, and doing it in 3 less games. Additionally, the average home game attendance of 10,878, broke the record set previous year (2017–18), of 9,048. Musselman joined
Mark Few Mark Norman Few (born December 27, 1962) is an American college basketball coach who has been the head coach at Gonzaga University since 1999. He has served on Gonzaga's coaching staff since 1989, and has been a constant on the sidelines through ...
( Gonzaga), Dave Rose (
BYU Brigham Young University (BYU, sometimes referred to colloquially as The Y) is a private research university in Provo, Utah. It was founded in 1875 by religious leader Brigham Young and is sponsored by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day S ...
), Steve Fisher (
SDSU San Diego State University (SDSU) is a public research university in San Diego, California. Founded in 1897 as San Diego Normal School, it is the third-oldest university and southernmost in the 23-member California State University (CSU) system ...
),
Steve Alford Stephen Todd Alford (born November 23, 1964) is an American men's college basketball coach and former professional player who is the head coach for the Nevada Wolf Pack of the Mountain West Conference (MWC). Born and raised in Indiana, he was a ...
(
New Mexico ) , population_demonym = New Mexican ( es, Neomexicano, Neomejicano, Nuevo Mexicano) , seat = Santa Fe , LargestCity = Albuquerque , LargestMetro = Tiguex , OfficialLang = None , Languages = English, Spanish ( New Mexican), Navajo, Ke ...
), and Shaka Smart ( VCU), as recent
mid-major Mid-major is a term used in American NCAA Division I college sports, particularly men's basketball, to refer to athletic conferences that are not among the "Power Five conferences" (the ACC, Big 10, Big 12, Pac-12, and SEC), which are alternativ ...
coaches with four-year spans of 25+ wins per season, 3+ tournament appearances, 2+ tournament wins, and at least one week in AP Top 10. After finishing the year with an overall record of 29–5, Musselman received one vote for AP Coach of the Year (tied 11th).


Arkansas (2019–present)

Musselman was named
Arkansas Arkansas ( ) is a landlocked state in the South Central United States. It is bordered by Missouri to the north, Tennessee and Mississippi to the east, Louisiana to the south, and Texas and Oklahoma to the west. Its name is from the O ...
head coach on April 7, 2019. His team got off to an 8-0 start heading into December, the school's best start to a season since the 1997–98 season. The Razorbacks went 11–1 in non-conference play going in to their conference schedule. They headed into SEC play with a 71–64 win on the road at Indiana University. Arkansas defeated TCU 78–67 at home in the mid season SEC vs Big 12 Challenge. Arkansas at that point had gone 3–3 in SEC play with wins over Vandy and
Texas A&M Texas A&M University (Texas A&M, A&M, or TAMU) is a public, land-grant, research university in College Station, Texas. It was founded in 1876 and became the flagship institution of the Texas A&M University System in 1948. As of late 2021, T ...
at home, and Ole Miss on the road. Losses were to
LSU Louisiana State University (officially Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College, commonly referred to as LSU) is a public land-grant research university in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The university was founded in 1860 near ...
and MSU on the road, and a loss at home to
Kentucky Kentucky ( , ), officially the Commonwealth of Kentucky, is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States and one of the states of the Upper South. It borders Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio to the north; West Virginia and Virginia ...
. Arkansas was 16–5 (4–4) when they lost their 2nd leading scorer for a five game stretch, where they posted a 0–5 record. At full strength over the final six games, the Razorbacks finished the season 4–2. Musselman, in his first year at Arkansas recruited the fifth and sixth-ranked recruiting class in the nation according to ESPN.com and 247sports.com respectively. The season was cut short after a Wednesday victory at the 2020 SEC tournament due to
COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identi ...
concerns. The Razorbacks ended their season with a 20–12 record overall marking Musselman's fifth straight season with 20 or more wins. Following the 2019–20 season, Musselman and staff reeled in the No. 3 ranked transfer recruiting class after three top 25 ranked graduate transfers signed with the Razorbacks. Late in the 2020–21 season, his Razorbacks cracked the Top 25 for the first time since January 2018 and then hosted No. 6
Alabama (We dare defend our rights) , anthem = "Alabama" , image_map = Alabama in United States.svg , seat = Montgomery , LargestCity = Huntsville , LargestCounty = Baldwin County , LargestMetro = Greater Birmingham , area_total_km2 = 135,765 ...
as the No. 20 ranked team, the first matchup of ranked teams inside
Bud Walton Arena Bud Walton Arena (also known as the Basketball Palace of Mid-America) is the home to the men's and women's basketball teams of the University of Arkansas, known as the Razorbacks. It is located on the campus of the University of Arkansas in Fa ...
since February 1998. On March 8, 2021, the Razorbacks entered the top 10 of the AP poll for the first time since February 1995, checking in at No. 8 heading into the postseason. Musselman was named one of 10 semifinalists for the 2021 Werner Ladder Naismith Men's Coach of the Year. Musselman entered the 2021 NCAA Tournament as a #3 Seed, the highest seed for Arkansas since the 1995 Runner-Up team. On March 21, 2021, Musselman led Arkansas to its first Sweet 16 since 1996 in a 2-point win over 6-seed
Texas Tech Texas Tech University (Texas Tech, Tech, or TTU) is a public research university in Lubbock, Texas. Established on , and called Texas Technological College until 1969, it is the main institution of the five-institution Texas Tech University Sys ...
. Musselman ended the Cinderella run of 15-seed
Oral Roberts Granville Oral Roberts (January 24, 1918 – December 15, 2009) was an American Charismatic Christian televangelist, ordained in both the Pentecostal Holiness and United Methodist churches. He is considered one of the forerunners of t ...
on March 27, 2021, to advance Arkansas to its first Elite 8 since 1995. The Razorbacks finished the season ranked #10 in the final AP Men's Basketball Poll and #6 in the USA Today Coaches Poll. On February 8, 2022, his team knocked off No. 1 Auburn in front of a Bud Walton Arena record 20,327 in attendance. As Arkansas had not beaten a number 1 team at BWA, the students rushed the court, resulting in Arkansas paying a $250,000 fine. Arkansas entered the 2022 NCAA tournament as #4 seed. Arkansas beat
New Mexico State New Mexico State University (NMSU or NM State) is a public land-grant research university based primarily in Las Cruces, New Mexico. Founded in 1888, it is the oldest public institution of higher education in New Mexico and one of the state's tw ...
to be the only SEC program to advance to the Sweet 16 of the 2022 NCAA Tournament. Musselman followed that by knocking off #1 overall ranked Gonzaga to advance to the Elite 8, making the first time an Arkansas coach took the Razorbacks to back-to-back Elite 8 appearances since Nolan Richardson in 1994 and 1995. The Razorbacks would fall in the Elite 8 to
Duke Duke is a male title either of a monarch ruling over a duchy, or of a member of royalty, or nobility. As rulers, dukes are ranked below emperors, kings, grand princes, grand dukes, and sovereign princes. As royalty or nobility, they are rank ...
in head coach
Mike Krzyzewski Michael William Krzyzewski ( ; born February 13, 1947), nicknamed "Coach K", is an American former college basketball coach. He served as the head coach at Duke University from 1980 to 2022, during which he led the Blue Devils to five nati ...
's 43rd and final season. Arkansas finished ranked #17 in the final AP Poll and #8 in the final USA Today Coaches Poll.


Head coaching record


NBA

, - , style="text-align:left;", Golden State , style="text-align:left;", , 82, , 38, , 44, , , , style="text-align:center;", 6th in Pacific, , —, , —, , —, , — , style="text-align:center;", Missed playoffs , - , style="text-align:left;", Golden State , style="text-align:left;", , 82, , 37, , 45, , , , style="text-align:center;", 5th in Pacific, , —, , —, , —, , — , style="text-align:center;", Missed playoffs , - , style="text-align:left;",
Sacramento ) , image_map = Sacramento County California Incorporated and Unincorporated areas Sacramento Highlighted.svg , mapsize = 250x200px , map_caption = Location within Sacramento ...
, style="text-align:left;", , 82, , 33, , 49, , , , style="text-align:center;", 5th in Pacific, , —, , —, , —, , — , style="text-align:center;", Missed playoffs , - class="sortbottom" , style="text-align:center;" colspan="2", Career , 246, , 108, , 138, , , , , , —, , —, , —, , —


College


Others


Coaching style

On his blog, Musselman wrote about the importance of matching an offense to the "team's make up." Depending on the roster, a half-court offense might make more sense. In other cases, a team may be better suited for an "open offense." According to Musselman, the idea is to allow players to "play to their strengths." As head coach of the Golden State Warriors, Musselman would often use "three-guard rotations to create mismatches and fast-break opportunities for his club." As head coach of the Venezuela National Team, Musselman said his team's identity was that of a "fast-paced, up-tempo team." According to former NBA coach
Jeff Van Gundy Jeffrey William Van Gundy (born January 19, 1962) is an American commentator for ESPN and former basketball coach. He served as head coach of the New York Knicks and the Houston Rockets of the National Basketball Association (NBA). During his t ...
, Musselman is "as competitive of a guy as I've ever coached against. He's a brilliant offensive mind." According to University of Kentucky head coach John Calipari, "Eric is one of the best in our sport. Extremely driven and knowledgeable. I've watched and coached against him in the NBA and FIBA games. He has an uncanny feel for the game, and ability to read where the game is at. More importantly, is his ability to motivate and teach his players what it takes to improve and win. He is as good as it gets."


Developing players

In an August 2011 interview on NBA.com, Musselman said that, as a coach, "you have to continually figure out a way to get your players better." According to
Gerald Green Gerald Green (born January 26, 1986) is an American professional basketball player who last played for the Rio Grande Valley Vipers of the NBA G League. He was drafted by the Boston Celtics with the 18th overall pick in the 2005 NBA draft. Know ...
, who played for Musselman with the D-League's Los Angeles D-Fenders in 2012, Musselman "did a hell of a job really motivating me, really pushing me every day in practice when I was with L.A. I have to give him credit or improving my game" Green said that Musselman "rode me about staying focused. Don’t take even a second off of any play. Don’t take any plays off. Don’t take practice for granted." Like Green, Jeremy Lin has also credited Musselman with aiding his development. In February 2012, Lin said that when he played for Musselman in the D-League, "he gave me the opportunity to play through mistakes." Gregory Echenique, who played for Musselman on the Venezuela National Team in 2011, said Musselman "had the most energy of any coach I've ever been around. He had a problem with his Achilles, and he would throw his crutches down and literally crawl to get after you. From the first day we met him to when we left him, his intensity never changed. It didn't matter who you were — he was in your face if he needed to be. At the same time, he was so positive. He always believed we could win. He was the guy that put the fire into us." Kevin Martin, who played for Musselman with the
Sacramento Kings The Sacramento Kings are an American professional basketball team based in Sacramento, California. The Kings compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Western Conference Pacific Division. The Kings are the oldest ...
in 2006–07, told NBA.com that Musselman helped him learn how to draw more fouls. According to Martin, Musselman "saw how teams were playing me and how they got up into me and told me to start absorbing that contact. He said I could score a lot more points in this league if I got to the free throw line. He put an emphasis on me night in night out with that part of the game. He was always pounding it into me and it paid off." In a May 9, 2013, article by CBSSports.com college basketball writer Gary Parrish, Arizona State guard
Jahii Carson Jahii Carson (born August 31, 1993) is an American professional basketball player who last played for Limburg United of the BNXT League. He played college basketball for Arizona State University where he was co-Pac-12 Conference Men's Basketball F ...
credited Musselman with helping him develop as a player. "Coach Muss is a great guy with a lot of knowledge because he's coached a lot of great players", said Carson. "He's given me a lot of great advice … about what NBA people are looking for, about how NBA guys don't take days off, how they're always in the gym doing conditioning or something, always trying to better their games. A guy like me? I didn't know anything like that having never been around the NBA game. So, he's somebody who has helped me." During the 2013–14 season, Musselman worked with Arizona State center
Jordan Bachynski Jordan Bachynski (born September 6, 1989) is a Canadian former professional basketball player. He played college basketball for the Arizona State Sun Devils. As a senior in 2014, he was the leading shot blocker in NCAA Division I and was named the ...
, helping the 7-foot-2 senior with his footwork. After the season, Bachynski earned Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year honors.


Move to the college ranks

In October 2007, ESPN reported that Musselman had a desire to coach at the collegiate level. According to
Andy Katz Andrew D. Katz (born April 7, 1968) is a college basketball analyst for the Big Ten Network and a college basketball correspondent for the NCAA. He formerly worked as a senior college basketball journalist for ESPN.com, and was a regular sport ...
, senior college basketball writer for ESPN.com, "Musselman wants to coach in college and is starting the process of getting his name out among search committees so that he's a viable candidate in March." In late December 2007,
FOX Sports Fox Sports is the brand name for a number of sports channels, broadcast divisions, programming, and other media around the world. The ''Fox Sports'' name has since been used for other sports media assets. These assets are held mainly by the F ...
reported that Musselman was a likely candidate to replace 71-year-old
Eddie Sutton Edward Eugene Sutton (March 12, 1936 – May 23, 2020) was an American college basketball coach. A native of Bucklin, Kansas, Sutton played college basketball at Oklahoma A&M (later Oklahoma State) and was a head coach at the high school, junio ...
at the
University of San Francisco The University of San Francisco (USF) is a private Jesuit university in San Francisco, California. The university's main campus is located on a setting between the Golden Gate Bridge and Golden Gate Park. The main campus is nicknamed "The Hil ...
after this season. In January 2008, his name surfaced in press reports surrounding the head coaching position at Oregon State. In March 2008, Musselman's name surfaced in published reports about the California and Loyola Marymount head coaching positions. On August 30, 2012,
Andy Katz Andrew D. Katz (born April 7, 1968) is a college basketball analyst for the Big Ten Network and a college basketball correspondent for the NCAA. He formerly worked as a senior college basketball journalist for ESPN.com, and was a regular sport ...
reported on ESPN.com's College Basketball Nation Blog that Arizona State University was in talks to hire Musselman as an assistant coach on
Herb Sendek Herbert Joseph Sendek Jr. (born February 22, 1963) is an American college basketball coach who is the current men's basketball head coach at Santa Clara. Early life Herbert Joseph Sendek, Jr. of Slovak descent, grew up in Pittsburgh and attended ...
's staff. On September 2, 2012, Katz confirmed Musselman's hiring, describing it as a "bold move" and a "coup" for Sendek. Former NBA coach
Jeff Van Gundy Jeffrey William Van Gundy (born January 19, 1962) is an American commentator for ESPN and former basketball coach. He served as head coach of the New York Knicks and the Houston Rockets of the National Basketball Association (NBA). During his t ...
predicted that Musselman will be an excellent recruiter "because of his competitive nature and what he has to sell. This is a guy who can tell kids exactly what it takes to play in the NBA." Fifteen games into Arizona State's 2012–13 season, ESPN's
Andy Katz Andrew D. Katz (born April 7, 1968) is a college basketball analyst for the Big Ten Network and a college basketball correspondent for the NCAA. He formerly worked as a senior college basketball journalist for ESPN.com, and was a regular sport ...
wrote that "It's hard to ignore the difference uard JahiiCarson and assistant coach Eric Musselman are making at Arizona State." According to Katz, "The Sun Devils were painful to watch last season. Now, ASU has multiple options and while it still grinds out wins (see OT game in the 50s to beat Utah), the Sun Devils are 2-0 in the Pac-12 and 13-2 heading to the Oregon schools." On January 9, 2013, ESPN's Jason King wrote that "adding former NBA head coach Eric Musselman...to his staff has also been a huge plus for Sendek and his players." Quoted in King's story, Arizona State center
Jordan Bachynski Jordan Bachynski (born September 6, 1989) is a Canadian former professional basketball player. He played college basketball for the Arizona State Sun Devils. As a senior in 2014, he was the leading shot blocker in NCAA Division I and was named the ...
said, "When usselman and Greerspeak, guys listen, just because they have that credibility from being in the league. The way they approach the game … it's no BS. They say, 'This is how it's done. If you don't like it, you're not going to play.'" In a radio interview after the 2012–13 season, Arizona State athletic director Steve Patterson said, "I think Eric's going to have opportunities to look at head coaching jobs. He's a very qualified coach. He did a great job, I think, teaching and working here." In a March 26, 2013, post on the
ESPN ESPN (originally an initialism for Entertainment and Sports Programming Network) is an American international basic cable sports channel owned by ESPN Inc., owned jointly by The Walt Disney Company (80%) and Hearst Communications (20%). Th ...
Los Angeles UCLA blog, Peter Yoon described Musselman as one of the "best under-the-radar candidates out there." In May 2013, he was promoted to associate head coach. Musselman resigned from Sendek's staff in April 2014. Following the 2013–14 season, Musselman was a candidate for the head coaching position at the
University of California, Berkeley The University of California, Berkeley (UC Berkeley, Berkeley, Cal, or California) is a public land-grant research university in Berkeley, California. Established in 1868 as the University of California, it is the state's first land-grant u ...
, the
University of South Florida The University of South Florida (USF) is a public research university with its main campus located in Tampa, Florida, and other campuses in St. Petersburg and Sarasota. It is one of 12 members of the State University System of Florida. USF i ...
and
Oregon State University Oregon State University (OSU) is a public land-grant, research university in Corvallis, Oregon. OSU offers more than 200 undergraduate-degree programs along with a variety of graduate and doctoral degrees. It has the 10th largest engineering c ...
.


International coaching

In July 2009, Musselman reportedly turned down an offer to coach Spartak St. Petersburg in Russia. On May 19, 2010, Musselman was named head coach of the
Dominican Republic national basketball team The Dominican Republic national basketball team ( es, Selección de Baloncesto de República Dominicana) represents the Dominican Republic in men's international basketball competitions. In 2011 and 2012, John Calipari, the head coach of the Un ...
. At the 2010 Men's Centro Basketball Championship in July 2010,
FIBA The International Basketball Federation (FIBA ; French: ) is an association of national organizations which governs the sport of basketball worldwide. Originally known as the (hence FIBA), in 1989 it dropped the word ''amateur'' from its nam ...
Americas' top regional tournament, Musselman guided the Dominican Republic team to the gold medal game, losing to
Puerto Rico Puerto Rico (; abbreviated PR; tnq, Boriken, ''Borinquen''), officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico ( es, link=yes, Estado Libre Asociado de Puerto Rico, lit=Free Associated State of Puerto Rico), is a Caribbean island and unincorporated ...
, 89–80, the team's only loss of the tournament (5–1). By finishing second at the Centro Basketball Championship, the Dominican Republic qualifies for the 2011
FIBA Americas Championship The FIBA AmeriCup (previously known as the FIBA Americas Championship) is the Americas Basketball Championship that takes place every four years between national teams of the Western Hemisphere continents. Since FIBA organised the entire West ...
, a qualifying tournament for the FIBA World Championships and the
Olympic Games The modern Olympic Games or Olympics (french: link=no, Jeux olympiques) are the leading international sporting events featuring summer and winter sports competitions in which thousands of athletes from around the world participate in a vari ...
. In August 2010, Musselman coached the U.S. 2011 team to the gold medal at the Adidas Global Experience in
Chicago (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name ...
. The 2011 team is composed of the top high school seniors in the U.S. The tournament featured the world's top 18-and-under players from five regions of the world: Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America, and the United States. Musselman was the head coach of Team China at the 2009 Adidas Nations camp/tournament in
Beijing } Beijing ( ; ; ), alternatively romanized as Peking ( ), is the capital of the People's Republic of China. It is the center of power and development of the country. Beijing is the world's most populous national capital city, with over 21 ...
, China. In May 2011, the
FIBA World Championship The FIBA Basketball World Cup, also known as the FIBA World Cup of Basketball or simply the FIBA World Cup, between 1950 and 2010 known as the FIBA World Championship, is an international basketball competition contested by the senior men's nat ...
website reported that Musselman had interviewed for the head coaching position of the Puerto Rico men's national basketball team. Earlier that month, he was mentioned as a candidate for the Venezuela national basketball team. On June 15, 2011, Musselman was named head coach of the Venezuela national basketball team. Under Musselman, Venezuela qualified for the 2012 World Pre-Olympic Qualifier by going 4–4 at the FIBA Americas 2011 Pre-Olympic Qualifier in Mar del Plata, Argentina. Venezuela was the top-scoring team in the tournament, averaging 94.8 points per game, 9 points more than the second highest-scoring team. Venezuela went 8–5 in international exhibition games ("friendlies") leading up to the tournament. Musselman guided Venezuela to a runner-up (silver) finish at the 2012 FIBA Men's South American Championship, posting a 3–2 record. With the second-place finish, Venezuela advanced to the 2013 FIBA Americas Championship, qualifier to the 2014 FIBA World Championship. The team went 1–1 in the 2012 FIBA Olympic qualifying tournament, defeating the Nigeria national team, the team that ultimately advanced to the 2012 Summer Olympics. Venezuela was also 3–1 in friendly games and won the 2012 Super 4 in Puerto la Cruz, Venezuela.


Sports broadcasting career

From 2008 to 2010, he served as an NBA analyst for FOX Sports Radio and Clear Channel Radio, and as a color commentator for college basketball games on the regional sports network Comcast SportsNet California and for NBA Development League games on Versus (TV channel), Versus. He's also worked as a basketball analyst for
ESPN ESPN (originally an initialism for Entertainment and Sports Programming Network) is an American international basic cable sports channel owned by ESPN Inc., owned jointly by The Walt Disney Company (80%) and Hearst Communications (20%). Th ...
.


Blog

In November 2007, Musselman launched a blog called
Eric Musselman's Basketball Notebook
" It features more than 1,200 posts about coaching and leadership. His last post was on March 20, 2009. Several of the posts from Musselman's blog were reposted on The Fifth Down, the New York Times' NFL blog.


Personal life

Musselman and his wife Danyelle Sargent, a former on-air personality and anchor for ESPN, FOX Sports, and the NFL Network, have a daughter together. Musselman has two sons from a previous marriage. Michael currently serves as the Director of Recruiting for University of Arkansas' Men's Basketball team. Matthew attends the University of San Diego. They live in Fayetteville, Arkansas. Musselman's sister, Nicole, is a fashion designer in Dallas, Texas.


References


External links


BasketballReference.com: Eric Musselman

Eric Musselman blog: Eric Musselman
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Musselman, Eric 1964 births Living people American men's basketball coaches American men's basketball players Arizona State Sun Devils men's basketball coaches Arkansas Razorbacks men's basketball coaches Atlanta Hawks assistant coaches Basketball coaches from Ohio Basketball players from Ohio College men's basketball head coaches in the United States Continental Basketball Association coaches Continental Basketball Association executives Golden State Warriors head coaches Los Angeles D-Fenders coaches LSU Tigers basketball coaches Memphis Grizzlies assistant coaches Minnesota Timberwolves assistant coaches Nevada Wolf Pack men's basketball coaches Orlando Magic assistant coaches People from Ashland, Ohio Reno Bighorns coaches Sacramento Kings head coaches San Diego Toreros men's basketball players United States Basketball League coaches