Dwane Casey

Dwane Casey (born April 17, 1957) is a former NCAA basketball player and coach who currently is a head coach in the NBA for the Toronto Raptors.^[1]

Early years

Casey was born in Morganfield, Kentucky, and graduated from Union County High School in 1975.^[2]

At the University of Kentucky Casey had a career average of 1.3 points, and 0.6 assists per game.^[3] Casey served as team captain during his senior year. He graduated from the University of Kentucky with a degree in business administration in 1979.^[4]

Coaching

Casey began his coaching career in 1979, as an assistant coach for the University of Kentucky. In late March 1988 while still serving as an assistant coach there, Emery Worldwide employees discovered $1,000 in cash in an envelope that was accidentally opened. The envelope was addressed to Claud Mills, the father of recruit Chris Mills, and the sender was identified as Casey. The University of Kentucky said that the evidence collected during the investigation is inconclusive, and does not prove that Casey sent the money.^{[5] [6]} The scandal resulted in Casey's resignation, and Casey being placed on probation for 5 years by the NCAA.^[7]

After his resignation from the NCAA, Casey served as an assistant coach for the Seattle SuperSonics. During his time there, the team won 4 division titles.

During the summers, Casey served as a coach for the Japanese National Basketball Team, and in the summer of 1998 the team appeared in the FIBA World Championship basketball tournament, which would be the team's first appearance there in over 30 years.^[8]

At the start of the 2005-06 NBA season, Casey landed his first job as head coach for the Minnesota Timberwolves, replacing Kevin McHale. Casey's overall record with the team was 53-69, he was fired on January 23, 2007 lasting only a season and a half with the Timberwolves.^[9] At the time of his firing, the Timberwolves were 20-20, he was replaced by assistant coach Randy Wittman, who went 12-30 for the rest of the season.^[10]

For the 2008-09 NBA season Casey served as an assistant coach for the Dallas Mavericks. During the 2009-10 NBA season the Mavericks won a division title. In 2011 the Mavericks defeated the Heat in the 2011 NBA Finals, and received their first championship.

In early June 2011 the Toronto Raptors decided not to pick up the option on Jay Triano's contract. Casey was named the new Raptors head coach on June 21 for the 2011-12 NBA season.^[11]

Head coaching record

References

External links

• Dwane Casey coach profile at NBA.com
• NCAA career stats as a player at BBH
• NBA career stats as a head coach at Basketball-Reference