The NBA’s minor league is not just a place to develop players; it’s also proven to be a place to develop coaches for the next level.
Over the last four seasons alone, 38 former NBA G League coaches have been hired by NBA teams. Six NBA G League coaches have gone on to become NBA head coaches: former Charlotte Bobcats head coach Sam Vincent, former Phoenix Suns head coach Earl Watson, and current head coaches Dave Joerger (Sacramento Kings), Nick Nurse (Toronto Raptors), Quin Snyder (Utah Jazz) and Luke Walton (Los Angeles Lakers).
Joerger (Dakota Wizards, 2007), Nurse (Iowa Energy, 2011; Rio Grande Valley Vipers, 2013) and Snyder (Austin Toros, 2008) both led teams to the NBA G League Finals, with Joerger winning once, and Nurse both times.
Below is the full list of 80 NBA G League coaches who have been hired by NBA teams.
Note: Below list updated after the end of the 2017-18 season.
YEAR | COACH | NBA G League Team | NBA Team |
2001-02 | Bob Thornton | Huntsville Flight head coach | Memphis Grizzlies assistant coach |
2001-02 | Alex English | North Charleston Lowgators head coach | Sacramento Kings assistant coach |
2001-02 | Harold Ellis | Roanoke Dazzle assistant coach | Atlanta Hawks advance scout |
2002-03 | Dell Demps | Mobile Revelers assistant coach | New Orleans Hornets general manager |
2003-04 | Jeff Capel | Fayetteville Patriots head coach | Philadelphia 76ers assistant coach |
2003-04 | Rob Werdann | Columbus Riverdragons assistant coach | Charlotte Bobcats assistant coach |
2003-04 | Mike Born | Huntsville Flight assistant coach | Portland Trail Blazers scout |
2003-04 | Kelvin Upshaw | Charleston Lowgators assistant coach | Dallas Mavericks basketball operations assistant |
2004-05 | Mike Sanders | Asheville Altitude assistant coach | Milwaukee Bucks assistant coach |
2004-05 | Ralph Lewis | Huntsville Flight head coach | Charlotte Bobcats assistant coach |
2005-06 | Casey Owens | Fayetteville Patriots assistant coach | Chicago Bulls video coordinator/assistant coach |
2005-06 | Sam Vincent | Fort Worth Flyers head coach | Dallas Mavericks assistant coach |
2006-07 | Paul Mokeski | Fort Worth Flyers assistant coach | Dallas Mavericks scout |
2006-07 | David Joerger | Dakota Wizards head coach | Memphis Grizzlies head coach |
2006-07 | Mo McHone | Sioux Falls Skyforce head coach | San Antonio Spurs director of basketball development |
2007-08 | Mike Brown | Fayetteville head coach | Chicago Bulls assistant coach |
2007-08 | Joe Wolf | Colorado 14ers head coach | Milwaukee Bucks assistant coach |
2007-08 | Roy Rogers | Austin Toros assistant coach | New Jersey Nets assistant coach |
2007-08 | Jeff Ruland | Albuquerque Thunderbirds head coach | Philadelphia 76ers assistant coach |
2008-09 | Bryan Gates | Idaho Stampede head coach | New Orleans Hornets assistant coach |
2008-09 | Scott Roth | Bakersfield Jam head coach | Toronto Raptors assistant coach |
2008-09 | Robert Pack | Rio Grande Valley Vipers assistant coach | Los Angeles Clippers assistant coach |
2009-10 | Vitaly Potapenko | Fort Wayne Mad Ants assistant coach | Cleveland Cavaliers assistant coach |
2009-10 | Quin Snyder | Austin Toros head coach | Atlanta Hawks assistant coach |
2009-10 | John Treloar | Erie BayHawks head coach | Phoenix Suns director of player personnel |
2010-11 | Austin Ainge | Maine Red Claws head coach | Boston Celtics president of basketball operations |
2010-11 | Chris Finch | Rio Grande Valley Vipers head coach | Houston Rockets assistant coach |
2010-11 | Dee Brown | Springfield Armor head coach | Detroit Pistons assistant coach |
2011-12 | Nate Tibbetts | Tulsa 66ers head coach | Cleveland Cavaliers assistant coach |
2011-12 | Clay Moser | Los Angeles D-Fenders assistant coach | Los Angeles Lakers advance scout |
2011-12 | Darvin Ham | New Mexico Thunderbirds head coach | Atlanta Hawks assistant coach |
2012-13 | Dale Osbourne | Tulsa 66ers head coach | Portland Trail Blazers assistant coach |
2012-13 | Brad Jones | Austin Toros head coach | Utah Jazz assistant coach |
2012-13 | Jay Larranaga | Erie BayHawks head coach | Boston Celtics assistant coach |
2012-13 | Alex Lloyd | Austin Toros assistant coach | Atlanta Hawks player development coach |
2012-13 | Sean Rooks | Sioux Falls assistant coach | Phoenix Suns player development coach |
2013-14 | Alex Jensen | Canton Charge head coach | Utah Jazz player development coach |
2013-14 | Taylor Jenkins | Austin Toros head coach | Atlanta Hawks assistant coach |
2013-14 | Duane Ticknor | Fort Wayne Mad Ants head coach | Memphis Grizzlies assistant coach |
2013-14 | Larry Lewis | LA D-Fenders assistant coach | Los Angeles Lakers player development coach |
2013-14 | Mark Madsen | Los Angeles D-Fenders head coach | Los Angeles Lakers player development coach |
2013-14 | Nick Nurse | Rio Grande Valley Vipers head coach | Toronto Raptors assistant coach |
2013-14 | Scott Williams | Idaho Stampede assistant coach | Milwaukee Bucks assistant coach |
2013-14 | Bernard Smith | Dakota Wizards assistant coach | Detroit Pistons player development coach |
2014-15 | Steve Hetzel | Canton Charge head coach | Charlotte Hornets assistant coach |
2014-15 | Pat Delaney | Sioux Falls Skyforce head coach | Charlotte Hornets assistant coach |
2014-15 | Jay Humphries | Reno Bighorns head coach | Brooklyn Nets assistant coach |
2014-15 | Rod Baker | Delaware 87ers head coach | Philadelphia 76ers assistant coach |
2014-15 | James Posey | Canton Charge assistant coach | Cleveland Cavaliers assistant coach |
2014-15 | Darko Rajakovic | Tulsa 66ers head coach | Oklahoma City Thunder assistant coach |
2014-15 | Ron Nored | Maine Red Claws assistant coach | Boston Player development coach |
2014-15 | Jim Moran | Maine Red Claws player development coach | Portland Trail Blazers assistant video coordinator* |
2014-15 | Thomas Scott | Los Angeles D-Fenders D-Fenders assistant coach | Los Angeles Lakers assistant coach |
2014-15 | Luke Walton | Los Angeles D-Fenders assistant coach | Golden State assistant coach |
2015-16 | Conner Henry | Los Angeles D-Fenders head coach | Orlando Magic assistant coach |
2015-16 | Andrae Patterson | Idaho Stampede assistant coach | Utah Jazz player personal coordinator |
2015-16 | Eduardo Najera | Texas Legends head coach | Dallas Mavericks advance scout |
2015-16 | Nancy Lieberman | Texas Legends head coach | Sacramento Kings assistant coach |
2015-16 | Anthony Carter | Austin Spurs assistant coach | Sacramento Kings assistant coach |
2015-16 | Earl Watson | Austin Spurs assistant coach | Phoenix Suns assistant coach |
2016-17 | Jordi Fernandez | Canton Charge head coach | Denver Nuggets assistant coach |
2016-17 | Casey Owens | L.A. head coach | Los Angeles Lakers assistant coach/Advanced Scout |
2016-17 | Kevin Young | Delaware 87ers head coach | Philadelphia 76ers assistant coach |
2016-17 | Jon Bryant | Delaware 87ers assistant coach | Philadelphia 76ers assistant coach/player development |
2016-17 | Dan Craig | Sioux Falls Skyforce head coach | Miami Heat assistant coach |
2016-17 | Otis Smith | Grand Rapids Drive head coach | Detroit Pistons assistant coach/Director of Player Development |
2016-17 | Mike Batiste | Canton Charge assistant coach | Brooklyn Nets Player Development Coach |
2016-17 | Jesse Mermuys | Raptors 905 head coach | Los Angeles Lakers assistant coach |
2016-17 | Nick Van Exel | Texas Legends head coach | Memphis Grizzlies assistant coach |
2016-17 | Stephen Graham | Fort Wayne Mad Ants assistant coach | Denver Nuggets assistant coach |
2016-17 | Damon Jones | Canton Charge assistant coach | Cleveland Cavaliers assistant coach |
2016-17 | Patrick Mutombo | Austin Spurs assistant coach | Toronto Raptors assistant coach |
2016-17 | Darnell Lazarre | Iowa Energy assistant coach | Memphis Grizzlies assistant video coordinator |
2016-17 | Nate Babcock | Erie BayHawks assistant coach | Utah Jazz coaching associate |
2017-18 | Travon Bryant | Oklahoma City Blue assistant coach | Brooklyn Nets assistant coach, player development |
2017-18 | Nate Loenser | Windy City Bulls head coach | Chicago Bulls assistant coach |
2017-18 | Scott Morrison | Maine Red Claws head coach | Boston Celtics assistant coach |
2017-18 | Rex Walters | Grand Rapids Drive head coach | Detroit Pistons assistant coach |
2017-18 | Ty Ellis | Northern Arizona Suns head coach | Phoenix Suns assistant coach |
2017-18 | Jerry Stackhouse | Raptors 905 head coach | Memphis Grizzlies assistant coach |
2017-18 | Cody Toppert | Northern Arizona Suns head coach | Phoenix Suns assistant coach/Director of Player Development |
2017-18 | Ronald Nored | Long Island Nets head coach | Charlotte Hornets assistant coach |
2017-18 | Josh Longstaff | Erie BayHawks head coach | Milwaukee Bucks assistant coach |