Mike D'Antoni
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Mike D'Antoni (born May 9, 1951 in Mullens, West Virginia) is a basketball coach and former basketball player. He holds American and Italian dual citizenship. D'Antoni is currently head coach of the Phoenix Suns of the National Basketball Association. He has worked for the Phoenix franchise since 2003, and won the NBA Coach of the Year Award for the 2004-05 after leading the Suns to a 62-20 record and a trip to the Western Conference Finals.
[edit] Player career
After a college career at Marshall University, D'Antoni was drafted by the Kansas City-Omaha Kings in the 2nd round of the 1973 NBA Draft. He was all-NBA Rookie Second Team choice for 1974. After 3 seasons for the Kings (1974-1976), he Played for St. Louis Spirits of the American Basketball Association in 1976, and for San Antonio Spurs (again NBA) in 1977.
D'Antoni was then called by the Italian team of Olimpia Milano, starting a great European career which turned him later in the club's all-time leading scorer. He was voted the league’s top point guard of all time in 1990 and he paced his team to five Italian League titles, two Cups of Europe, two Cups of Italy, one Korac Cup and one Intercontinental Cup. Being of Italian origins, D'Antoni was also selected to play on the Italy national basketball team for the World Cup in 1989.
D'Antoni nickname in Europe was Arsène Lupin for his ability in stealing balls from other players.
[edit] Coach career
D’Antoni began his career as head coach for his most loyal club, Milan: here he remained for four seasons, from 1990 to 1994, leading the club to the 1993 Korac Cup. He was then chosen to coach Pallacanestro Treviso (Benetton), another major Italian basketball club. During his tenure (1994–1997), the team captured the Cup of Europe and Coppa Italia (in 1995) and won the domestic league title in 1996-97. Coach D’Antoni's Italian teams went to the playoffs each season, and he was twice voted the league’s Coach of the Year.
First NBA coaching job was with the Denver Nuggets in 1998-99, and was the club’s director of player personnel in 1997-98. He was also an assistant for the Portland Trail Blazers in 2000-01 and a scout for San Antonio Spurs during the 1999-2000 season.
Recently selected to the coaching staff for the Team USA Olympic Basketball squad under head coach Mike Krzyzewski. Pundits believe his familiarity with the three point shot and the zone defense, hallmarks of the international game, will be valuable assets to the team.
D'Antoni has dual citizenship in the United States and Italy: this made him the first Italian ever to lead an NBA team. He is fluent in both English and Italian.
[edit] Trivia
- D'Antoni was the favorite Italian basketball player of Los Angeles Lakers superstar Kobe Bryant when he was growing up in Italy. D'Antoni was also the reason why Kobe originally chose the number 8.
| Preceded by Bill Hanzlik |
Denver Nuggets Head Coach 1998–1999 |
Succeeded by Dan Issel |
| Preceded by Frank Johnson |
Phoenix Suns Head Coach 2003– |
Succeeded by Current |
Categories: 1951 births | Living people | People from West Virginia | American basketball players | Italian basketball players | Italian-American sportspeople | Kansas City Kings players | San Antonio Spurs players | Spirits of St. Louis players | Denver Nuggets coaches | Phoenix Suns coaches | American basketball coaches | Italian basketball coaches | Marshall Thundering Herd men's basketball players | Marshall University alumni
