Michael D'Andrew D'Antoni (born May 8, 1951) is an Italian-American professional
basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular Basketball court, court, compete with the primary objective of #Shooting, shooting a basketball (ball), basketball (appr ...
coach and former player who is a coaching advisor for the
New Orleans Pelicans
The New Orleans Pelicans are an American professional basketball team based in New Orleans. The Pelicans compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Western Conference Southwest Division and play their hom ...
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 S ...
(NBA).
While head coach of the
Phoenix Suns
The Phoenix Suns are an American professional basketball team based in Phoenix, Arizona. They compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA), as a member of the league's Western Conference Pacific Division. The Suns are the only team in t ...
, he won
NBA Coach of the Year
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 led ...
honors for the
2004–05 NBA season
The 2004–05 NBA season was the 59th season of the National Basketball Association (NBA). It began on November 2, 2004 and ended June 23, 2005. The season ended with the San Antonio Spurs defeating the defending-champion Detroit Pistons, 4–3, i ...
after the Suns posted 33 more wins than the previous season. He coached the
New York Knicks
The New York Knickerbockers, shortened and more commonly referred to as the New York Knicks, are an American professional basketball team based in the New York City borough of Manhattan. The Knicks compete in the National Basketball Associat ...
starting in 2008 before resigning in 2012. He was hired by the
Los Angeles Lakers
The Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles. The Lakers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Western Conference Pacific Division. The Lakers play their ...
seven games into the 2012–13 season. On June 1, 2016, D'Antoni was named head coach of the Rockets, and he received his second NBA Coach of the Year award for the 2016–17 season.
D'Antoni is known for favoring a fast-paced, offense-oriented system.
Playing career
High school and college
After playing high school basketball at
Mullens High School Mullens may refer to:
* Mullens, West Virginia
* B. J. Mullens (b. 1989), American basketball player
* Bob Mullens (1922–1989), American basketball player
* Nick Mullens (b. 1995), American football player
* Willy Mullens
Willy Mullens (4 October ...
, in
Mullens, West Virginia
Mullens is a city in Wyoming County, West Virginia. The population was 1,475 at the time of the 2020 census.
Located in a valley along the Guyandotte River within a mountainous region of southern West Virginia, the town was nearly destroyed by f ...
, D'Antoni played
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 ...
at
Marshall University
Marshall University is a public research university in Huntington, West Virginia. It was founded in 1837 and is named after John Marshall, the fourth Chief Justice of the United States.
The university is currently composed of nine colleges: L ...
, with the
Thundering Herd, from 1970 to 1973.
Professional career
After a
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 ...
career at
Marshall University
Marshall University is a public research university in Huntington, West Virginia. It was founded in 1837 and is named after John Marshall, the fourth Chief Justice of the United States.
The university is currently composed of nine colleges: L ...
, D'Antoni was drafted by the
Kansas City-Omaha 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 the second round of the
1973 NBA draft. After playing three seasons for the Kings (1973–1975), he played for the
Spirits of St. Louis
The Spirits of St. Louis were a basketball franchise based in St. Louis that played in the American Basketball Association (ABA) from 1974 to 1976. This was the third and last city of a franchise that had begun as a charter member in 1967 as the ...
of the
American Basketball Association
The American Basketball Association (ABA) was a major men's professional basketball league from 1967 to 1976. The ABA ceased to exist with the ABA–NBA merger, American Basketball Association–National Basketball Association merger in 1976, ...
(ABA) in 1975–76, and for the
San Antonio Spurs
The San Antonio Spurs are an American professional basketball team based in San Antonio. The Spurs compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Western Conference (NBA), Western Conference Southwest Division ( ...
(again in the NBA) in 1976–77. His Spurs career lasted just two games, before he found an opportunity to play overseas.
D'Antoni was signed by the Italian team
Olimpia Milano
Pallacanestro Olimpia Milano, commonly known as Olimpia Milano or as EA7 Emporio Armani Milan after its title sponsor, is an LBA Italian professional basketball team, based in Milan, Italy. Its colors are white and red, and the team is sometimes ...
, starting a career that saw him become the club's all-time leading scorer. He was voted the
Italian LBA league's top point guard of all time in 1990, and paced his team to five Italian League titles, two FIBA European Champions Cup (now called
EuroLeague) titles, two
Italian Cups, one
FIBA Korać Cup
The FIBA Korać Cup was an annual basketball club competition held by FIBA between the 1971–72 and 2001–02 seasons. It was the third-tier level club competition in European basketball, after the FIBA European Champions' Cup (later renamed th ...
, and one
FIBA Intercontinental Cup
The FIBA Intercontinental Cup, also commonly referred to as the FIBA World Cup for Champion Clubs, or the FIBA Club World Cup, is a professional basketball clubs competition that is endorsed by FIBA and the NBA. Historically, its purpose has be ...
.
During his playing career in Italy, D'Antoni earned the nickname "Il Baffo" (Italian for "The Mustache"), in reference to his ever-present facial hair. He also earned the nickname "
Arsène Lupin
Arsène Lupin (French pronunciation: ʁsɛn lypɛ̃ is a fictional gentleman thief and master of disguise created in 1905 by French writer Maurice Leblanc. The character was first introduced in a series of short stories serialized in the magazi ...
" because of his ability to steal the ball. In 2015, Olimpia Milano
retired his No. 8 jersey, in order to honor him.
National team career
Being of Italian origin with American and Italian
dual citizenship
Multiple/dual citizenship (or multiple/dual nationality) is a legal status in which a person is concurrently regarded as a national or citizen of more than one country under the laws of those countries. Conceptually, citizenship is focused on ...
, D'Antoni was also selected to play on the senior men's
Italian national team
The Italy national football team ( it, Nazionale di calcio dell'Italia) has represented Italy in international football since its first match in 1910. The national team is controlled by the Italian Football Federation (FIGC), the governing bo ...
for the
EuroBasket
EuroBasket, also commonly referred to as the European Basketball Championship, is the main international basketball competition that is contested quadrennially, by the senior men's national teams that are governed by FIBA Europe, which is the E ...
tournament in
1989.
Coaching career
Olimpia Milano (1990–1994)
D'Antoni began his career as head coach for his most loyal club,
Olimpia Milan. He remained there for four seasons, from 1990 to 1994, leading the club to a
1992 FIBA EuroLeague Final Four appearance, and a
1992–93 season FIBA Korać Cup
The FIBA Korać Cup was an annual basketball club competition held by FIBA between the 1971–72 and 2001–02 seasons. It was the third-tier level club competition in European basketball, after the FIBA European Champions' Cup (later renamed th ...
title.
Benetton Treviso (1994–1997)
D'Antoni was then chosen to coach
Benetton Treviso, another major Italian league basketball club. During his tenure with Treviso (1994–1997), the team captured the
FIBA European Cup
The FIBA Saporta Cup was the name of the second-tier level European-wide professional club basketball competition, where the domestic National Cup winners, from all over Europe, played against each other. The competition was organized by FIBA ...
(later renamed Saporta Cup) and
Italian Cup
Italian(s) may refer to:
* Anything of, from, or related to the people of Italy over the centuries
** Italians, an ethnic group or simply a citizen of the Italian Republic or Italian Kingdom
** Italian language, a Romance language
*** Regional Ita ...
(in 1995), and won the
Italian national domestic league title in the 1996–97 season. D'Antoni's Italian club teams went to the Italian League's playoffs each season.
Denver Nuggets (1997–1999)
D'Antoni's first NBA coaching job was with the
Denver Nuggets
The Denver Nuggets are an American professional basketball team based in Denver. The Nuggets compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Western Conference Northwest Division. The team was founded as the D ...
in
1997–98 as the club's director of player personnel. He also did some broadcasting work with
TNT
Trinitrotoluene (), more commonly known as TNT, more specifically 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene, and by its preferred IUPAC name 2-methyl-1,3,5-trinitrobenzene, is a chemical compound with the formula C6H2(NO2)3CH3. TNT is occasionally used as a reagen ...
that season. The next year, he became the Nuggets' head coach, but was fired after a poor performance during the lockout-shortened
1998–99 season.
Portland Trail Blazers (2000–2001)
D'Antoni then became a scout for San Antonio Spurs during the
1999–2000 season. He was also an assistant for the
Portland Trail Blazers
The Portland Trail Blazers (colloquially known as the Blazers) are an American professional basketball team based in Portland, Oregon. The Trail Blazers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Western Con ...
in
2000–01.
Return to Benetton (2001–2002)
In 2001, D'Antoni returned to Italy for a second stint as the coach of Benetton Treviso. In his one season back in Europe, he led Treviso to a 28–8 regular season record in the Italian League, an Italian League championship, and to a
2002 Euroleague Final Four appearance, coaching a team filled with many former NBA stars.
Phoenix Suns (2002–2008)
![012308-TC-Twolves002-MikeDantoni](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a2/012308-TC-Twolves002-MikeDantoni.jpg)
In 2002, D'Antoni made his return to the NBA as a Phoenix Suns assistant under
Frank Johnson. In 2003, he replaced Johnson with 61 games left in the season as the Suns' head coach and, despite the team's failure to improve in the second half of the season, received a vote of confidence for producing inspired play from the injury-riddled team. With the acquisition of free agent
Steve Nash before the 2004–05 season, an incredible turnaround began for the team. Nash was experienced in the
run-and-gun style from his previous stints with the
Dallas Mavericks
The Dallas Mavericks (often referred to as the Mavs) are an American professional basketball team based in Dallas. The Mavericks compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Western Conference (NBA), Western Conferenc ...
and the Suns. He excelled running D'Antoni's
pick-and-roll
The pick and roll (also called a ball screen or screen and roll) in basketball is an offensive play in which a player sets a screen (pick) for a teammate handling the ball and then moves toward the basket (rolls) to receive a pass. In the NBA, ...
offense.
[ D'Antoni won the ]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 ...
after his Suns went 62–20 to finish first in the regular season. His style, dubbed "Seven Seconds or Less", was described in a book of that name. Overall, his Suns won 50 or more games in four consecutive seasons, while Nash earned NBA MVP
The National Basketball Association Most Valuable Player Award (MVP) is an annual National Basketball Association (NBA) award given since the 1955–56 season to the best performing player of the regular season. Starting with the 2022–23 ...
honors in 2005 and 2006. In addition to Nash, D'Antoni's Suns also featured All-Star power forward Amar'e Stoudemire
Amar'e Carsares Stoudemire ( ; he, אמארה יהושפט סטודמאייר; born November 16, 1982) is an American-Israeli professional basketball coach and former player who most recently served as a player development assistant for the Bro ...
and high-flying All-Star small forward Shawn Marion
Shawn Dwayne Marion (born May 7, 1978) is an American former professional basketball player who played 16 seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Marion finished his career as a four-time NBA All-Star, a two-time member of the All- ...
. They made consecutive appearances in the Western Conference finals in 2005
File:2005 Events Collage V2.png, From top left, clockwise: Hurricane Katrina in the Gulf of Mexico; the Funeral of Pope John Paul II is held in Vatican City; "Me at the zoo", the first video ever to be uploaded to YouTube; Eris was discovered in ...
and 2006
File:2006 Events Collage V1.png, From top left, clockwise: The 2006 Winter Olympics open in Turin; Twitter is founded and launched by Jack Dorsey; The Nintendo Wii is released; Montenegro 2006 Montenegrin independence referendum, votes to declare ...
, losing to the San Antonio Spurs
The San Antonio Spurs are an American professional basketball team based in San Antonio. The Spurs compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Western Conference (NBA), Western Conference Southwest Division ( ...
and Dallas Mavericks, respectively.[ D'Antoni became the Suns' GM after ]Bryan Colangelo
Bryan Paul Colangelo (born June 1, 1965) is an American basketball executive who was the former general manager of the Philadelphia 76ers, Toronto Raptors and Phoenix Suns of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He also served as president ...
's departure and passed on the post to Steve Kerr in 2007. The Suns were eliminated in the playoffs by the Spurs in 2007 and 2008, after which D'Antoni left Phoenix for the New York Knicks.
New York Knicks (2008–2012)
Although Steve Kerr requested he stay with the Suns, D'Antoni was told that he was free to speak with other teams about coaching jobs. On May 9, D'Antoni was made an offer by the New York Knicks
The New York Knickerbockers, shortened and more commonly referred to as the New York Knicks, are an American professional basketball team based in the New York City borough of Manhattan. The Knicks compete in the National Basketball Associat ...
. The next day, he accepted the 4-year, $24 million offer and became the Knicks' head coach.
After two losing seasons, D'Antoni with new additions Amar'e Stoudemire
Amar'e Carsares Stoudemire ( ; he, אמארה יהושפט סטודמאייר; born November 16, 1982) is an American-Israeli professional basketball coach and former player who most recently served as a player development assistant for the Bro ...
and Carmelo Anthony
Carmelo Kyam Anthony (born May 29, 1984) is an American professional basketball player who last played for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He has been named an NBA All-Star ten times and an All-NBA Team me ...
led the Knicks to the playoffs in 2010–11 with a 42–40 record. They were swept by the Boston Celtics
The Boston Celtics ( ) are an American professional basketball team based in Boston. The Celtics compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference Atlantic Division. Founded in 1946 as one of t ...
in the first round.
D'Antoni resigned as coach on March 14, 2012, and assistant coach Mike Woodson
Michael Dean Woodson (born March 24, 1958) is an American basketball coach and former professional player who is the head coach of the Indiana Hoosiers men's basketball team.
With coach Bob Knight's Indiana Hoosiers, Woodson played collegiate ...
filled his vacancy as the head coach. The Knicks were off to a disappointing 18–24 start, and D'Antoni clashed with Anthony.[
]
Los Angeles Lakers (2012–2014)
On November 12, 2012, the Lakers signed D'Antoni to a three-year contract worth $12 million. He replaced Mike Brown, who was fired as head coach after a 1–4 start to the 2012–13 season. The Lakers first contacted former Lakers coach Phil Jackson
Philip Douglas Jackson (born September 17, 1945) is an American former professional basketball player, coach, and executive. A power forward, Jackson played 12 seasons in the NBA, winning NBA championships with the New York Knicks in 1970 and ...
about the opening, but D'Antoni was hired in a unanimous decision by the Lakers front office. The Lakers felt that D'Antoni's fast-paced style of play made him a "great fit" for the team, more suitable than Jackson's structured triangle offense
The triangle offense is an offensive strategy used in basketball. Its basic ideas were initially established by Hall of Fame coach Sam Barry at the University of Southern California. His system was further developed by former Houston Rockets and ...
.[ Lakers owner ]Jerry Buss
Gerald Hatten Buss (January 27, 1933 – February 18, 2013) was an American businessman, investor, chemist, and philanthropist. He was the majority owner of the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association (NBA), winning 10 l ...
's preference has always been for the Lakers to have a wide-open offense.[ D'Antoni was reunited with Nash, who was traded to the Lakers before the season. Lakers star ]Kobe Bryant
Kobe Bean Bryant ( ; August 23, 1978 – January 26, 2020) was an American professional basketball player. A shooting guard, he spent his entire 20-year career with the Los Angeles Lakers in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Widely r ...
was also familiar with D'Antoni; Bryant as a child knew him when D'Antoni was a star in Italy and Bryant's father was also playing there. Bryant grew close to D'Antoni during their time with Team USA.[
D'Antoni's coaching debut with the Lakers was delayed as he recovered from knee replacement surgery. He had surgery weeks before on October 31, as he originally expected to take a year off from coaching and have months to recover. Bernie Bickerstaff, who was the Lakers' interim coach after Brown was fired, continued in that role after D'Antoni was hired. He was 4–1 as the interim coach, winning his last two as D'Antoni started leading team practices.] D'Antoni named a new assistant to the Lakers' staff, his older brother Dan
Dan or DAN may refer to:
People
* Dan (name), including a list of people with the name
** Dan (king), several kings of Denmark
* Dan people, an ethnic group located in West Africa
**Dan language, a Mande language spoken primarily in Côte d'Ivoi ...
, who also helped with the practices. In his first press conference, D'Antoni predicted that the Lakers, then 3–5 and ranked 20th in scoring with 96.5 points per game, should instead be scoring "110–115 points a game".[ He wanted to revive ]Showtime
Showtime or Show Time may refer to:
Film
* ''Showtime'' (film), a 2002 American action/comedy film
* ''Showtime'' (video), a 1995 live concert video by Blur
Television Networks and channels
* Showtime Networks, a division of Paramount Global w ...
. He reiterated general manager Mitch Kupchak
Mitchell Kupchak (born May 24, 1954) is an American professional basketball executive and retired player. He is the current president of basketball operations and general manager of the Charlotte Hornets of the National Basketball Association (NB ...
's belief that the Lakers were built to win an NBA championship
The NBA Finals is the annual championship series of the National Basketball Association (NBA). The Eastern and Western Conference champions play a best-of-seven game series to determine the league champion. The team that wins the series is awa ...
that season. D'Antoni was glad to be back with Nash, noting his unsuccessful stint with the Knicks without him.[ On November 20, he coached his first game—nine days after he was hired—in a 95–90 win against the ]Brooklyn Nets
The Brooklyn Nets are an American professional basketball team based in the New York City borough of Brooklyn. The Nets compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. The t ...
. In his first game back in New York in December, the Lakers lost 116–107 and dropped to 4–9 overall under D'Antoni. D'Antoni coached his first 17 games without Nash, who was recovering from a broken leg. The Lakers won three out of four after Nash returned in late December, but proceeded to lose their next six.
Calling it a permanent move, D'Antoni benched forward Pau Gasol
Pau Gasol Sáez (, ; born July 6, 1980) is a Spanish former professional basketball player. He was a six-time NBA All-Star and a four-time All-NBA team selection, twice on the second team and twice on the third team. Gasol won two NBA champion ...
in mid-January and started Earl Clark
Earl Rashad Clark (born January 17, 1988) is an American professional basketball player who last played for the NLEX Road Warriors of the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA). He played college basketball for the University of Louisville and w ...
to form the faster and smaller lineup the coach preferred. The team was already ranked No. 2 in pace.[ Halfway through the season, the Lakers were in 12th place in the Western Conference with a 17–24 record. Under D'Antoni, the Lakers were 12–19 while scoring an average of 103.3 points a game but surrendering 103.4. Offensively, they reached the 110-point threshold just eight times in the 31 games, going 5–3. D'Antoni stressed that the team's focus needed to be on its defense, not offense.] He likened the Lakers to an All-Star team in which "everybody gets the ball and goes one on one and then they play no defense", adding that they "haven't learned that there's a pecking order" where stars need to know their roles.[
Nash struggled with center ]Dwight Howard
Dwight David Howard II (born December 8, 1985) is an American professional basketball player for the Taoyuan Leopards of the T1 League. He is an NBA champion, eight-time All-Star, eight-time All-NBA Team honoree, five-time All-Defensive Team m ...
to run the pick and roll
The pick and roll (also called a ball screen or screen and roll) in basketball is an offensive play in which a player sets a screen (pick) for a teammate handling the ball and then moves toward the basket (rolls) to receive a pass. In the NBA, ...
, a play D'Antoni expected to be a staple for the Lakers. D'Antoni eventually dropped his offense and played without any system. "We play basketball. The system is move the ball, play hard defense, space the floor and who's open shoots. It's not a difficult thing", said D'Antoni.[ The coach moved Nash off the ball and made him more of a spot-up shooter, while Bryant became the primary facilitator on offense.] The defense was also more energized.
D'Antoni was named Western Conference Coach of the Month after the Lakers went 7–1 in April. They finished the season 45–37 after dropping to 17–25 in January the day of their team meeting in Memphis. They qualified for the playoffs on the final day of the season, securing the seventh seed in the West. The Lakers' expected starting five of Bryant, Nash, Howard, Gasol and Metta World Peace
Metta Sandiford-Artest (born Ronald William Artest Jr.; November 13, 1979) is an American former professional basketball player. He was known as Ron Artest before legally changing his name to Metta World Peace in 2011 and later to Metta Sandifor ...
started together just seven times all season and without registering a win. "The Lakers didn't help things by making the coaching change and putting 'Antoniin that situation, which he was glad to take. But I think it was a little bit tougher than he thought it would be", Kupchak said.[ The Lakers faced San Antonio in the playoffs and lost in the opening round for the first time since ]2007
File:2007 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: Steve Jobs unveils Apple's first iPhone; TAM Airlines Flight 3054 overruns a runway and crashes into a gas station, killing almost 200 people; Former Pakistani Prime Minister of Pakistan, Pr ...
, suffering their first opening-round sweep since 1967.
In D'Antoni's first full season with the team in 2013–14, the Lakers went 27–55 for the second-worst winning percentage (.329) in team history. It was the worst 82-game record in team history and their fewest wins since the franchise moved from Minnesota. Howard left before the season as a free agent, accepting less money to join the Houston Rockets
The Houston Rockets are an American professional basketball team based in Houston. The Rockets compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member team of the league's Western Conference Southwest Division. The team plays its ho ...
. Bryant played in just six games during the season, but he and Gasol were critical of D'Antoni's small-ball system.[ Nash also missed most of the season with injuries.][ On April 30, 2014, D'Antoni resigned as coach of the Lakers after the team declined to pick up their option for him to coach in 2015–16. He was paid an undisclosed amount of the $4 million owed him for the upcoming 2014–15 season. "Given the circumstances, I don't know that anybody could have done a better job than Mike did the past two seasons", said Kupchak.]
Philadelphia 76ers (2015–2016)
On December 18, 2015, D'Antoni signed with the Philadelphia 76ers
The Philadelphia 76ers, colloquially known as the Sixers, are an American professional basketball team based in the Philadelphia metropolitan area. The 76ers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eas ...
to work as associate head coach under Brett Brown
Brett William Brown (born February 16, 1961) is an American professional basketball coach who is an assistant coach for the San Antonio Spurs of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Brown is a former college basketball player who previously ...
.
Houston Rockets (2016–2020)
On June 1, 2016, D'Antoni was named the new head coach of the Houston Rockets
The Houston Rockets are an American professional basketball team based in Houston. The Rockets compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member team of the league's Western Conference Southwest Division. The team plays its ho ...
.
In his first season with the Rockets, D'Antoni led the team to a 55–27 record, and the Rockets to the NBA Western Conference semi-finals. On May 7, 2017, D'Antoni and Erik Spoelstra
Erik Jon Spoelstra ( ; born November 1, 1970) is an American professional basketball coach who is the head coach for the Miami Heat of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He has won two NBA championships as the head coach of the Heat. A Fi ...
were announced as co-recipients of the inaugural NBCA Coach of the Year Award. On June 26, 2017, he won the 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 ...
.
During the 2017–18 season, D'Antoni's led the Rockets to the best regular season in the NBA with a 65–17 record. However, the Rocket's playoff ended in the NBA Western Conference Finals after losing 4–3 to the Golden State Warriors
The Golden State Warriors are an American professional basketball team based in San Francisco. The Warriors compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA), as a member of the league's Western Conference Pacific Division. Founded in 194 ...
.
After the 2018–19 season, the Rockets won more games in his three seasons than in any three-year stretch in franchise history (173–73). The Rockets were 23–16 in the playoffs during that same span. As a result, D'Antoni accumulated the best win-percentage of any Rockets coach.
On May 30, 2019, after the considerable dismantling of the coaching staff, D'Antoni announced that he decided not to renew his contract which was set to expire after the 2019–20 season. Prior to the announcement, he showed interest in signing a contract extension, stating: "I've let Daryl
Darryl is an English name, a variant spelling of Darell.
Male variations of this name include: Darlin, Daryl, Darrell, Darryl, Daryll, Darryll, Darrell, Darrel.
Female and unisex variations of this name include: Daryl, Darian, Dareen, Darell ...
oreyand wner Tilman ertittaknow that I'm energized to keep coaching – and believe that I can continue to do this at a high-level for at least another three years." On June 8, it was reported that Fertitta and D'Antoni were nearing an agreement on a contract extension after the language of a buyout was removed from the previous offer—which is what caused the initial talks to die out in the first place. Ultimately, D'Antoni started the 2019–20 season with no contract extension. On September 13, 2020, a day after Houston lost the conference semifinals 4–1 to the Lakers, D'Antoni announced that he would not return to the team.
Brooklyn Nets (2020–2021)
On October 30, 2020, the Brooklyn Nets
The Brooklyn Nets are an American professional basketball team based in the New York City borough of Brooklyn. The Nets compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. The t ...
hired D'Antoni as an assistant coach. On July 28, 2021, he stepped down from his position after one season.
New Orleans Pelicans (2021–present)
On August 4, 2021, D'Antoni was hired as coaching advisor by the New Orleans Pelicans
The New Orleans Pelicans are an American professional basketball team based in New Orleans. The Pelicans compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Western Conference Southwest Division and play their hom ...
.
National team career
D'Antoni was selected to the coaching staff for the Team USA Olympic Basketball squad under 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 natio ...
and participated in the 2006 FIBA World Championship
The 2006 FIBA World Championship was the 15th FIBA World Championship, the international basketball world championship for men's national teams. The tournament was hosted by Japan and held from 19 August to 3 September 2006. It was co-organised by ...
, winning a bronze medal. Pundits believed his familiarity with the three-point shot and the zone defense, hallmarks of the international game, were valuable assets to the team.
In the summer of 2012, D'Antoni returned to Team USA as an assistant coach again under 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 natio ...
. He reunited with Knicks players Carmelo Anthony
Carmelo Kyam Anthony (born May 29, 1984) is an American professional basketball player who last played for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He has been named an NBA All-Star ten times and an All-NBA Team me ...
and Tyson Chandler
Tyson Cleotis Chandler (born October 2, 1982) is an American former professional basketball player and coach.
Chandler was drafted directly out of high school as the second overall pick of the 2001 NBA draft by the Los Angeles Clippers, then w ...
on this team as they prepared for the 2012 London Summer Olympics.
Head coaching record
, -
, style="text-align:left;", Denver
Denver () is a consolidated city and county, the capital, and most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. Its population was 715,522 at the 2020 census, a 19.22% increase since 2010. It is the 19th-most populous city in the Unit ...
, style="text-align:left;",
, 50, , 14, , 36, , .280, , style="text-align:center;", 6th in Midwest, , —, , —, , —, , —
, style="text-align:center;", Missed playoffs
, -
, style="text-align:left;", Phoenix
Phoenix most often refers to:
* Phoenix (mythology), a legendary bird from ancient Greek folklore
* Phoenix, Arizona, a city in the United States
Phoenix may also refer to:
Mythology
Greek mythological figures
* Phoenix (son of Amyntor), a ...
, style="text-align:left;",
, 61, , 21, , 40, , .344, , style="text-align:center;", 6th in Pacific, , —, , —, , —, , —
, style="text-align:center;", Missed playoffs
, -
, style="text-align:left;", Phoenix
Phoenix most often refers to:
* Phoenix (mythology), a legendary bird from ancient Greek folklore
* Phoenix, Arizona, a city in the United States
Phoenix may also refer to:
Mythology
Greek mythological figures
* Phoenix (son of Amyntor), a ...
, style="text-align:left;",
, 82, , 62, , 20, , .756, , style="text-align:center;", 1st in Pacific, , 15, , 9, , 6, ,
, style="text-align:center;", Lost in Conference Finals Conference Finals may refer to:
* NBA Conference Finals, National Basketball Association
* NHL Conference Finals
The National Hockey League (NHL) Conference Finals are the Eastern Conference and Western Conference championship series of the NHL. ...
, -
, style="text-align:left;", Phoenix
Phoenix most often refers to:
* Phoenix (mythology), a legendary bird from ancient Greek folklore
* Phoenix, Arizona, a city in the United States
Phoenix may also refer to:
Mythology
Greek mythological figures
* Phoenix (son of Amyntor), a ...
, style="text-align:left;",
, 82, , 54, , 28, , .659, , style="text-align:center;", 1st in Pacific, , 20, , 10, , 10, ,
, style="text-align:center;", Lost in Conference Finals Conference Finals may refer to:
* NBA Conference Finals, National Basketball Association
* NHL Conference Finals
The National Hockey League (NHL) Conference Finals are the Eastern Conference and Western Conference championship series of the NHL. ...
, -
, style="text-align:left;", Phoenix
Phoenix most often refers to:
* Phoenix (mythology), a legendary bird from ancient Greek folklore
* Phoenix, Arizona, a city in the United States
Phoenix may also refer to:
Mythology
Greek mythological figures
* Phoenix (son of Amyntor), a ...
, style="text-align:left;",
, 82, , 61, , 21, , .744, , style="text-align:center;", 1st in Pacific, , 11, , 6, , 5, ,
, style="text-align:center;", Lost in Conference Semifinals
, -
, style="text-align:left;", Phoenix
Phoenix most often refers to:
* Phoenix (mythology), a legendary bird from ancient Greek folklore
* Phoenix, Arizona, a city in the United States
Phoenix may also refer to:
Mythology
Greek mythological figures
* Phoenix (son of Amyntor), a ...
, style="text-align:left;",
, 82, , 55, , 27, , .671, , style="text-align:center;", 2nd in Pacific, , 5, , 1, , 4, ,
, style="text-align:center;", Lost in First Round
First or 1st is the ordinal form of the number one (#1).
First or 1st may also refer to:
*World record, specifically the first instance of a particular achievement
Arts and media Music
* 1$T, American rapper, singer-songwriter, DJ, and reco ...
, -
, style="text-align:left;", New York
New York most commonly refers to:
* New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York
* New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States
New York may also refer to:
Film and television
* '' ...
, style="text-align:left;",
, 82, , 32, , 50, , .390, , style="text-align:center;", 5th in Atlantic, , —, , —, , —, , —
, style="text-align:center;", Missed playoffs
, -
, style="text-align:left;", New York
New York most commonly refers to:
* New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York
* New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States
New York may also refer to:
Film and television
* '' ...
, style="text-align:left;",
, 82, , 29, , 53, , .354, , style="text-align:center;", 3rd in Atlantic, , —, , —, , —, , —
, style="text-align:center;", Missed playoffs
, -
, style="text-align:left;", New York
New York most commonly refers to:
* New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York
* New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States
New York may also refer to:
Film and television
* '' ...
, style="text-align:left;",
, 82, , 42, , 40, , .512, , style="text-align:center;", 2nd in Atlantic, , 4, , 0, , 4, ,
, style="text-align:center;", Lost in First Round
First or 1st is the ordinal form of the number one (#1).
First or 1st may also refer to:
*World record, specifically the first instance of a particular achievement
Arts and media Music
* 1$T, American rapper, singer-songwriter, DJ, and reco ...
, -
, style="text-align:left;", New York
New York most commonly refers to:
* New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York
* New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States
New York may also refer to:
Film and television
* '' ...
, style="text-align:left;",
, 42, , 18, , 24, , .429, , style="text-align:center;", (resigned), , —, , —, , —, , —
, style="text-align:center;", —
, -
, style="text-align:left;", L.A. Lakers
The Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles. The Lakers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Western Conference Pacific Division. The Lakers play their ...
, style="text-align:left;",
, 72, , 40, , 32, , , , style="text-align:center;", 3rd in Pacific, , 4, , 0, , 4, ,
, style="text-align:center;", Lost in First Round
First or 1st is the ordinal form of the number one (#1).
First or 1st may also refer to:
*World record, specifically the first instance of a particular achievement
Arts and media Music
* 1$T, American rapper, singer-songwriter, DJ, and reco ...
, -
, style="text-align:left;", L.A. Lakers
The Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles. The Lakers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Western Conference Pacific Division. The Lakers play their ...
, style="text-align:left;",
, 82, , 27, , 55, , , , style="text-align:center;", 5th in Pacific, , —, , —, , —, , —
, style="text-align:center;", Missed playoffs
, -
, style="text-align:left;", Houston
Houston (; ) is the most populous city in Texas, the most populous city in the Southern United States, the fourth-most populous city in the United States, and the sixth-most populous city in North America, with a population of 2,304,580 in ...
, style="text-align:left;",
, 82, , 55, , 27, , , , style="text-align:center;", 2nd in Southwest, , 11, , 6, , 5, ,
, style="text-align:center;", Lost in Conference Semifinals
, -
, style="text-align:left;", Houston
Houston (; ) is the most populous city in Texas, the most populous city in the Southern United States, the fourth-most populous city in the United States, and the sixth-most populous city in North America, with a population of 2,304,580 in ...
, style="text-align:left;",
, 82, , 65, , 17, , , , style="text-align:center;", 1st in Southwest, , 17, , 11, , 6, ,
, style="text-align:center;", Lost in Conference Finals Conference Finals may refer to:
* NBA Conference Finals, National Basketball Association
* NHL Conference Finals
The National Hockey League (NHL) Conference Finals are the Eastern Conference and Western Conference championship series of the NHL. ...
, -
, style="text-align:left;", Houston
Houston (; ) is the most populous city in Texas, the most populous city in the Southern United States, the fourth-most populous city in the United States, and the sixth-most populous city in North America, with a population of 2,304,580 in ...
, style="text-align:left;",
, 82, , 53, , 29, , , , style="text-align:center;", 1st in Southwest, , 11, , 6, , 5, ,
, style="text-align:center;", Lost in Conference Semifinals
, - class="sortbottom"
, -
, style="text-align:left;", Houston
Houston (; ) is the most populous city in Texas, the most populous city in the Southern United States, the fourth-most populous city in the United States, and the sixth-most populous city in North America, with a population of 2,304,580 in ...
, style="text-align:left;",
, 72, , 44, , 28, , , , style="text-align:center;", 1st in Southwest, , 12, , 5, , 7, ,
, style="text-align:center;", Lost in Conference Semifinals
, -
, style="text-align:center;" colspan="2", Career
, 1,199, , 672, , 527, , , , , , 110, , 54, , 56, , , ,
Personal life
D'Antoni's father was a high school basketball coach in West Virginia and Ohio, and was inducted into West Virginia's Sports Hall of Fame. His older brother Dan
Dan or DAN may refer to:
People
* Dan (name), including a list of people with the name
** Dan (king), several kings of Denmark
* Dan people, an ethnic group located in West Africa
**Dan language, a Mande language spoken primarily in Côte d'Ivoi ...
coached under him as an assistant in Phoenix, New York, and Los Angeles. Both Mike (1997) and Dan (1990) have been enshrined in the Marshall University Athletics Hall of Fame.
D'Antoni is a dual citizen of the United States and Italy, making him the first Italian to lead an NBA
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 ...
team. He descends from an Italian grandfather who emigrated from Umbria
it, Umbro (man) it, Umbra (woman)
, population_note =
, population_blank1_title =
, population_blank1 =
, demographics_type1 =
, demographics1_footnotes =
, demographics1_title1 =
, demographics1_info1 =
, ...
, Italy, to the U.S. in the early 20th century. He is fluent in English and Italian.
He lives in the Memorial neighborhood in Houston
Houston (; ) is the most populous city in Texas, the most populous city in the Southern United States, the fourth-most populous city in the United States, and the sixth-most populous city in North America, with a population of 2,304,580 in ...
, with his wife, Laurel, and has a son named Mike.
See also
*
References
External links
Mike D'Antoni
at euroleague.net (coach profile)
at fiba.com (player profile)
at fibaeurope.com (player profile)
Mike D'Antoni
at legabasket.it (player profile)
Mike D'Antoni
at legabasket.it (coach profile)
{{DEFAULTSORT:D'Antoni, Mike
1951 births
American men's basketball coaches
American men's basketball players
American sportspeople of Italian descent
Basketball coaches from West Virginia
Basketball players from West Virginia
Brooklyn Nets assistant coaches
Denver Nuggets head coaches
Houston Rockets head coaches
Italian basketball coaches
Italian men's basketball players
Kansas City Kings draft picks
Kansas City Kings players
Lega Basket Serie A players
Living people
Los Angeles Lakers head coaches
Marshall Thundering Herd men's basketball players
New York Knicks head coaches
Olimpia Milano coaches
Olimpia Milano players
Pallacanestro Treviso coaches
People from Kingwood, Texas
People from Mullens, West Virginia
Philadelphia 76ers assistant coaches
Phoenix Suns assistant coaches
Phoenix Suns executives
Phoenix Suns head coaches
Point guards
Portland Trail Blazers assistant coaches
San Antonio Spurs players
Spirits of St. Louis players
American expatriates in Italy