Lon Kruger

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Lon Kruger
Sport(s) Basketball
Current position
Title Head coach
Team Oklahoma
Record 52–32 (.619)
Biographical details
Born (1952-08-19) August 19, 1952
Silver Lake, Kansas
Playing career
1971–1974 Kansas State
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1976–1977
1977–1978
1979–1982
1982–1986
1986–1990
1990–1996
1996–2000
2000–2003
2003–2004
2004–2011
2011–present		 Pittsburg State (Asst.)
Kansas State (Asst.)
Kansas State (Asst.)
Texas–Pan American
Kansas State
Florida
Illinois
Atlanta Hawks
New York Knicks (Asst.)
UNLV
Oklahoma
Head coaching record
Overall 532–336 (.613)
Accomplishments and honors
Championships
MWC Tournament Championship (2007, 2008)
Big 10 Regular Season Championship (1998)
Awards
SEC Coach of the Year (1992, 1994)
MWC Coach of the Year (2008)

Lon Kruger (born August 19, 1952) is an American college and professional basketball coach who is currently the men's basketball head coach of the University of Oklahoma. Kruger played college basketball for Kansas State University. He has served as the head coach of the University of Texas–Pan American, Kansas State, the University of Florida, the University of Illinois, and the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, as well as the Atlanta Hawks of the National Basketball Association (NBA).

Biography

Lon Kruger was born and raised in Silver Lake, Kansas. As a player, Kruger led Kansas State University to back-to-back Big Eight championships in 1972 and 1973 under coach Jack Hartman. Kruger was named the Big Eight Player of the Year in 1973 and 1974, after being named the Big Eight Sophomore of the Year in 1972. He was also a shortstop on the Kansas State baseball team. As basketball coach of the Wildcats, he led K-State to the NCAA Tournament in each of his four seasons as head coach and the Elite 8 in 1988 -- a team featuring future NBA'ers Mitch Richmond and Steve Henson -- before losing to the arch-rival Kansas Jayhawks, the eventual national champion.

Prior to accepting the head coaching position at UNLV in 2004, Kruger was the head coach of the Atlanta Hawks of the NBA. It was as head coach of the Hawks that Kruger guaranteed season-ticket holders in 2003 that the Hawks would make the playoffs or get a $125 refund. The Hawks failed to make the playoffs and Kruger was fired midway through the 2003 season. Kruger also held head coaching positions in collegiate basketball at the University of Texas-Pan American (1982–1986), Kansas State University (1986–1990), the University of Florida (1990–1996), and the University of Illinois (1996–2000). While at Illinois, he became the only Big Ten coach to successfully sign three consecutive Illinois Mr. Basketball winners, after inking Sergio McClain, Frankie Williams, and Brian Cook between 1997 and 1999. Kruger is one of five coaches to take four different teams to the men's NCAA basketball tournament. In the process, he led the University of Florida to its first-ever Final Four appearance in 1994.

Kruger was an assistant coach under Rudy Tomjanovich for the US national team in the 1998 FIBA World Championship, winning the bronze medal.[1]

His son, Kevin, took advantage of a new NCAA rule, called Proposal 2005-54,[2] before the 2006–2007 season to transfer from Arizona State and immediately play for his father at UNLV without sitting out one year. The controversial rule has been repealed for the next season due to the "unintended consequences" of allowing players with undergraduate diplomas to immediately begin playing for another school without sitting out for any time.[3]

On February 9, 2008, the UNLV Runnin' Rebels beat Colorado State 68–51 at home, for his 400th career win.

On April 1, 2011, sources confirmed that Kruger had accepted the head coaching position with the Oklahoma Sooners, replacing the fired Jeff Capel.[4][5][6] Kruger's new Oklahoma Sooners compensation package purportedly exceeds $2.2 million annually.[6] Despite his success, he has not been immune to criticism.[7][8] Fans of opposing teams point out that Kruger has won just one regular season conference championship in his 25 years of college coaching (Illinois tied for the Big 10 title in 1997-98). Plus the 13 times that his teams have made the NCAA tournament, they have lost in the 1st or 2nd round 10 times. Also, some critics mention his failed venture in the NBA. However, Kruger generally enjoys a positive reputation overall.[9]

On November 30th, 2012, Kruger earned his 500th career head coaching victory as his Oklahoma Sooners beat Northwestern State 69-65 in Norman.[10]

On March 17th, 2013, Kruger became the only head coach in Division I history to lead five programs to the NCAA tournament when his Sooner team was named a 10 seed in the event's South region.[11]

Collegiate coaching record

Season Team Overall Conference Standing Postseason
Texas–Pan American Broncs (NCAA Division I independent) (1982–1986)
1982–83 Pan–American 7–21
1983–84 Pan–American 13–14
1984–85 Pan–American 12–16
1985–86 Pan–American 20–8
Pan–American: 52–59 (.468)
Kansas State Wildcats (Big Eight Conference) (1986–1990)
1986–87 Kansas State 20–11 8–6 4th NCAA Second Round
1987–88 Kansas State 25–9 11–3 2nd NCAA Elite Eight
1988–89 Kansas State 19–11 8–6 3rd NCAA First Round
1989–90 Kansas State 17–15 7–7 4th NCAA First Round
Kansas State: 81–46 (.638) 34–22 (.607)
Florida Gators (Southeastern Conference) (1990–1996)
1990–91 Florida 11–17 7–11 6th
1991–92 Florida 19–14 9–7 2nd (East) NIT Semifinals
1992–93 Florida 16–12 9–7 3rd (East) NIT First Round
1993–94 Florida 29–8 12–4 T–1st (East) NCAA Final Four
1994–95 Florida 17–13 8–8 3rd (East) NCAA First Round
1995–96 Florida 12–16 6–10 5th (East)
Florida: 104–80 (.565) 51–47 (.520)
Illinois Fighting Illini (Big Ten Conference) (1996–2000)
1996–97 Illinois 22–10 11–7 4th NCAA Second Round
1997–98 Illinois 23–10 13–3 T–1st NCAA Second Round
1998–99 Illinois 14–18 3–13 11th
1999–00 Illinois 22–10 11–5 5th NCAA Second Round
Illinois: 81–48 (.628) 38–28 (.576)
UNLV Runnin' Rebels (Mountain West Conference) (2004–2011)
2004–05 UNLV 17–14 7–7 4th NIT Second Round
2005–06 UNLV 17–13 10–6 4th
2006–07 UNLV 30–7 12–4 2nd NCAA Sweet Sixteen
2007–08 UNLV 27–8 12–4 2nd NCAA Second Round
2008–09 UNLV 21–11 9–7 5th NIT First Round
2009–10 UNLV 25–9 11–5 T–3rd NCAA First Round
2010–11 UNLV 24–9 11–5 3rd NCAA Second Round
UNLV: 161–71 (.694) 72–38 (.655)
Oklahoma Sooners (Big 12 Conference) (2011–present)
2011–12 Oklahoma 15–16 5–13 8th
2012–13 Oklahoma 20–12 11–7 4th NCAA Second Round
2013–14 Oklahoma 17–4 6–2
Oklahoma: 52–32 (.619) 22–22 (.500)
Total: 532–336 (.610)

      National champion         Conference regular season champion         Conference tournament champion
      Conference regular season and conference tournament champion       Conference division champion

References

  1. ↑ 1998 USA Basketball
  2. ↑ "Kruger transfers to play for father", Associated Press, July 10, 2006
  3. ↑ Ron Kantowski, "Ron Kantowski eulogizes a 'wacko' NCAA rule that, while used innocently enough by UNLV's Lon and Kevin Kruger, left the door open for 'unintended consequences'," Las Vegas Sun (January 7, 2007). Retrieved December 17, 2009.
  4. ↑ Ryan Greene, "Lon Kruger changes course, accepts head coaching position at Oklahoma," Las Vegas Sun (April 1, 2011). Retrieved April 2, 2011.
  5. ↑ Matt Youmans, "Kruger leaves UNLV, heads to Oklahoma," Las Vegas Review-Journal (April 2, 2011). Retrieved April 2, 2011.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 "Kruger leaving UNLV for Oklahoma," The Los Angeles Times (April 2, 2011). Retrieved April 2, 2011.
  7. ↑ GoAZCats.com Message Board
  8. ↑ Cougar Board
  9. ↑ Championship Week Preview
  10. ↑ http://www.soonersports.com/sports/m-baskbl/recaps/113012aab.html
  11. ↑ http://www.soonersports.com/sports/m-baskbl/spec-rel/031713aaa.html

Bibliography

External links

Current men's basketball head coaches of the Big 12 Conference
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