Paul Westhead
Encyclopedia
Paul Westhead is a basketball
coach who is currently the head coach of the University of Oregon
women's team. He has previously been a head coach for three National Basketball Association
(NBA) teams and an assistant for two others, and has also coached in the National Collegiate Athletic Association
(NCAA) and Women's National Basketball Association
(WNBA) and American Basketball Association
(ABA). He won titles in both the NBA and WNBA, and is also remembered as the coach of the Loyola Marymount University
men's basketball team during that school's era of greatest basketball glory. Westhead is known for an unorthodox, run-and-gun
style similar to Nellie ball
called "The System." He attended Saint Joseph's University
.
in suburban Philadelphia; in 1969, he coached the Panthers to a Pennsylvania state championship. One of his players at Cheltenham was future University of Virginia
Athletic Director Craig Littlepage
. Westhead coached the La Salle University
men's basketball
team starting in 1970. Westhead led the Explorers
to one NIT
and two NCAA tournament
appearances in nine seasons (1970–1979). He finished with a record of 142–105.
as the coach of the Los Angeles Lakers
after serving as an assistant. With rookie guard Magic Johnson
and longtime star Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
, the Lakers won the 1980 NBA Finals
in Westhead's first year as coach, defeating Philadelphia in six games. However, the team lost in the playoffs the next year to the Moses Malone
-led Houston Rockets
. Westhead was fired early in his third season with the Lakers, and replaced with Pat Riley
. Although it is commonly believed that Magic Johnson orchestrated Westhead's ouster, a 1987 book called "Winnin' Times" (about the Los Angeles Lakers' franchise history) indicated that Laker owner Jerry Buss
wanted to fire Westhead several days prior to the actual occurrence. The entire Laker team did not get along with Westhead, yet Johnson was the only player to speak out publicly. In retrospect, Johnson's outburst accelerated the decision to let Westhead go.
for the 1982–83 season
, but lasted only one season as the Bulls went 28–54. Prior to that season, the Bulls traded away all-star center Artis Gilmore
to the San Antonio Spurs
, and the franchise was still two years away from the debut of Michael Jordan
.
men's basketball team. From 1985–1990, Westhead oversaw an impressive run in which LMU, despite being a smaller school and not a traditional NCAA basketball power, became a legitimate contender in NCAA hoops. Westhead lured star players like Hank Gathers
and Bo Kimble
, who both transferred from USC, and rewrote many NCAA record books with Loyola Marymount's famous, up-tempo, run-and-gun style.
From 1988 to 1990, Westhead's teams went 27–3, 20–10 and 23–5 respectively, earning NCAA tournament berths each year. Gathers led the NCAA in scoring and rebounding (32.7 ppg, 13.7 rpg) in 1989 and Kimble led the NCAA in scoring in 1990 (35.3 ppg). After the on-court death of Gathers in its conference tournament, LMU went on an inspired run in the NCAA tournament in 1990 that captured the attention of the entire college basketball world for those weeks. The Lions blew out defending champion Michigan
in the 2nd round and made it to the Regional Final round before losing to eventual champion UNLV
.
Westhead's teams led Division I in scoring in 1988 (110.3 points per game), 1989 (112.5), and 1990 (122.4). LMU's 122.4 point per game in 1990 was still a record as of October 2010. As of October 2010, Loyola Marymount held the five highest combined score games in Division I history. Four of the five occurred during Westhead's career, including a record 331 in the 181–150 win over United States International University on January 31, 1989.
, a position he held for two seasons. His tenure in Denver was best known for attempting to incorporate the Nellie ball
run-and-gun offense that worked for LMU to the NBA.
However, while Denver averaged a league-best 119.9 points per game in 1990–91, it also surrendered an NBA record 130.8 points per game, including 107 points in a single half to the Phoenix Suns
, which remains an NBA record. Under Westhead, the Nuggets were sometimes called the "Enver Nuggets" (as in no "D"). The next year the Nuggets drafted Dikembe Mutombo
, who made the All-Star team, and played at a more conservative pace scoring just 99.7 points per game, but only improved to 24 wins. Westhead was fired from the Nuggets after two seasons after posting a combined W/L record of 44–120.
from 1993–1997. This time, Westhead's run-and-gun style did not succeed at the college level, ending his tenure at Mason with a 38–70 record. Westhead was succeeded at Mason by Jim Larranaga
after the 1996–1997 season.
in the inaugural season of the new ABA in 2000–2001.
under head coach Johnny Davis
. Prior to that he was head coach in the ABA
(2000–01) and in the Japanese Pro League (2001–03).
, a position that he held until the 2007 WNBA season concluded. In 2007, Westhead coached the Mercury to a WNBA championship, making him the only coach to win a championship in the NBA and the WNBA.
to be an assistant coach under longtime friend P. J. Carlesimo. When Carlesimo was relieved of his duties on November 21, 2008, Westhead was also released as an assistant at that time.
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
coach who is currently the head coach of the University of Oregon
University of Oregon
-Colleges and schools:The University of Oregon is organized into eight schools and colleges—six professional schools and colleges, an Arts and Sciences College and an Honors College.- School of Architecture and Allied Arts :...
women's team. He has previously been a head coach for three National Basketball Association
National Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
(NBA) teams and an assistant for two others, and has also coached in the National Collegiate Athletic Association
National Collegiate Athletic Association
The National Collegiate Athletic Association is a semi-voluntary association of 1,281 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities in the United States...
(NCAA) and Women's National Basketball Association
Women's National Basketball Association
The Women's National Basketball Association is a women's professional basketball league in the United States. It currently is composed of twelve teams. The league was founded on April 24, 1996 as the women's counterpart to the National Basketball Association...
(WNBA) and American Basketball Association
American Basketball Association (2000–present)
The American Basketball Association, often abbreviated as ABA, is a semi-professional men's basketball league that was founded in 1999. The current ABA has no affiliation with the original American Basketball Association that merged with the National Basketball Association in 1976...
(ABA). He won titles in both the NBA and WNBA, and is also remembered as the coach of the Loyola Marymount University
Loyola Marymount University
Loyola Marymount University is a comprehensive co-educational private Roman Catholic university in the Jesuit and Marymount traditions located in Los Angeles, California, United States...
men's basketball team during that school's era of greatest basketball glory. Westhead is known for an unorthodox, run-and-gun
Run and gun (basketball)
Run and gun is a style of basketball which involves a very high pace of play. It was most famously used by the Loyola Marymount men's basketball team in the late 1980s under coach Paul Westhead.....
style similar to Nellie ball
Nellie Ball
Nellie ball is an unconventional offensive strategy in basketball developed by NBA head coach Don Nelson. It is a fast-paced offense relying on smaller, more athletic players who can create mismatches by outrunning their opponents. A true center is usually not needed to run this type of offense. A...
called "The System." He attended Saint Joseph's University
Saint Joseph's University
Saint Joseph's University is a private, coeducational Roman Catholic Jesuit university located partially in the Wynnefield section of Philadelphia and partially in Lower Merion Township and located in the Pennsylvania Main Line, Pennsylvania, United States.The school was founded in 1851 as Saint...
.
Cheltenham and La Salle
Westhead started his coaching career at Cheltenham High SchoolCheltenham High School
Cheltenham High School is a public high school in Wyncote, Pennsylvania serving grades 9 through 12. Cheltenham is the Senior High School in the School District of Cheltenham Township...
in suburban Philadelphia; in 1969, he coached the Panthers to a Pennsylvania state championship. One of his players at Cheltenham was future University of Virginia
University of Virginia
The University of Virginia is a public research university located in Charlottesville, Virginia, United States, founded by Thomas Jefferson...
Athletic Director Craig Littlepage
Craig Littlepage
Craig Littlepage is an American athletic director at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, Virginia...
. Westhead coached the La Salle University
La Salle University
La Salle University is a private, co-educational, Roman Catholic university located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. Named for St. Jean-Baptiste de La Salle, the school was founded in 1863 by the Institute of the Brothers of the Christian Schools. As of 2008 the school has approximately 7,554...
men's basketball
La Salle Explorers men's basketball
The La Salle Explorers Men's Basketball Team is the college basketball program representing La Salle University.-History:The program has been rated the 53rd "Greatest College Basketball Program of All-Time" by Street & Smith's magazine and 71st by the ESPN College Basketball Encyclopedia.La Salle...
team starting in 1970. Westhead led the Explorers
La Salle Explorers
La Salle Explorers is the name of the athletic teams from La Salle University. The school's 23 varsity sports teams compete in the NCAA's Division I and are a member of the Atlantic Ten Conference. The American football team previously played in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Football...
to one NIT
National Invitation Tournament
The National Invitation Tournament is a men's college basketball tournament operated by the National Collegiate Athletic Association. There are two NIT events each season. The first, played in November and known as the Dick's Sporting Goods NIT Season Tip-Off , was founded in 1985...
and two NCAA tournament
NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship
The NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship is a single-elimination tournament held each spring in the United States, featuring 68 college basketball teams, to determine the national championship in the top tier of college basketball...
appearances in nine seasons (1970–1979). He finished with a record of 142–105.
Los Angeles Lakers
Westhead started his NBA head coaching career at the top of the NBA world, succeeding Jack McKinneyJack McKinney (basketball)
Jack McKinney is a former college and professional basketball coach. He has served as head coach for three NBA teams--the Los Angeles Lakers, the Indiana Pacers, and the Kansas City Kings...
as the coach of the Los Angeles Lakers
Los Angeles Lakers
The Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
after serving as an assistant. With rookie guard Magic Johnson
Magic Johnson
Earvin "Magic" Johnson Jr. is a retired American professional basketball player who played point guard for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association . After winning championships in high school and college, Johnson was selected first overall in the 1979 NBA Draft by the Lakers...
and longtime star Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is a retired American professional basketball player. He is the NBA's all-time leading scorer, with 38,387 points. During his career with the NBA's Milwaukee Bucks and Los Angeles Lakers from 1969 to 1989, Abdul-Jabbar won six NBA championships and a record six regular season...
, the Lakers won the 1980 NBA Finals
1980 NBA Finals
The 1980 NBA World Championship Series was the championship round of the 1979–80 NBA season.Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was the league's MVP. But midway through Game 5, the Laker center suffered a severely sprained ankle. He managed to come back in the game in the 4th quarter to lead the Lakers to victory...
in Westhead's first year as coach, defeating Philadelphia in six games. However, the team lost in the playoffs the next year to the Moses Malone
Moses Malone
Moses Eugene Malone is a retired American Hall of Fame basketball player who starred in both the American Basketball Association and the National Basketball Association...
-led Houston Rockets
Houston Rockets
The Houston Rockets are an American professional basketball team based in Houston, Texas. The team plays in the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was established in 1967, and played in San Diego, California for four years, before being...
. Westhead was fired early in his third season with the Lakers, and replaced with Pat Riley
Pat Riley
Patrick James "Pat" Riley is an American professional basketball executive, and a retired coach and player in the NBA. Currently, he is team president of the Miami Heat. Widely regarded as one of the greatest NBA coaches of all time, Riley has served as the head coach of five championship teams...
. Although it is commonly believed that Magic Johnson orchestrated Westhead's ouster, a 1987 book called "Winnin' Times" (about the Los Angeles Lakers' franchise history) indicated that Laker owner Jerry Buss
Jerry Buss
Gerald Hatten "Jerry" Buss Ph.D., M.S. is an American businessman, real estate investor, and a former chemist. He is the majority owner of the Los Angeles Lakers professional basketball team along with other professional sports franchises in Southern California...
wanted to fire Westhead several days prior to the actual occurrence. The entire Laker team did not get along with Westhead, yet Johnson was the only player to speak out publicly. In retrospect, Johnson's outburst accelerated the decision to let Westhead go.
Chicago Bulls
Westhead was the head coach of the Chicago BullsChicago Bulls
The Chicago Bulls are an American professional basketball team based in Chicago, Illinois, playing in the Central Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was founded in 1966. They play their home games at the United Center...
for the 1982–83 season
1982-83 NBA season
-Statistics leaders:-NBA awards:*Most Valuable Player: Moses Malone, Philadelphia 76ers*Rookie of the Year: Terry Cummings, San Diego Clippers*Defensive Player of the Year: Sidney Moncrief, Milwaukee Bucks...
, but lasted only one season as the Bulls went 28–54. Prior to that season, the Bulls traded away all-star center Artis Gilmore
Artis Gilmore
Artis Gilmore is a retired American Hall of Fame basketball player who played in the American Basketball Association and National Basketball Association...
to the San Antonio Spurs
San Antonio Spurs
The San Antonio Spurs are an American professional basketball team based in San Antonio, Texas. They are part of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association ....
, and the franchise was still two years away from the debut of Michael Jordan
Michael Jordan
Michael Jeffrey Jordan is a former American professional basketball player, active entrepreneur, and majority owner of the Charlotte Bobcats...
.
Loyola Marymount
Westhead returned to the college ranks, and took over as the head coach of the Loyola MarymountLoyola Marymount Lions
The Loyola Marymount Lions are the athletic teams that represent Loyola Marymount University, a Jesuit institution in Los Angeles, California. The school competes in NCAA Division I, with its primary affiliation in the West Coast Conference, an organization consisting solely of...
men's basketball team. From 1985–1990, Westhead oversaw an impressive run in which LMU, despite being a smaller school and not a traditional NCAA basketball power, became a legitimate contender in NCAA hoops. Westhead lured star players like Hank Gathers
Hank Gathers
Eric "Hank" Gathers was an American college basketball star at Loyola Marymount University who collapsed and died during a game. He was the second player in NCAA Division I history to lead the nation in scoring and rebounding in the same season...
and Bo Kimble
Bo Kimble
Gregory Kevin "Bo" Kimble is a retired American college basketball player at Loyola Marymount University and professional National Basketball Association player with the Los Angeles Clippers and New York Knicks...
, who both transferred from USC, and rewrote many NCAA record books with Loyola Marymount's famous, up-tempo, run-and-gun style.
From 1988 to 1990, Westhead's teams went 27–3, 20–10 and 23–5 respectively, earning NCAA tournament berths each year. Gathers led the NCAA in scoring and rebounding (32.7 ppg, 13.7 rpg) in 1989 and Kimble led the NCAA in scoring in 1990 (35.3 ppg). After the on-court death of Gathers in its conference tournament, LMU went on an inspired run in the NCAA tournament in 1990 that captured the attention of the entire college basketball world for those weeks. The Lions blew out defending champion Michigan
Michigan Wolverines
The Michigan Wolverines comprise 27 varsity sports teams at the University of Michigan. These teams compete in the NCAA's Division I and in the Big Ten Conference in all sports except men's ice hockey which competes in the NCAA D1 Central Collegiate Hockey Association, and women's water polo, which...
in the 2nd round and made it to the Regional Final round before losing to eventual champion UNLV
UNLV Runnin' Rebels basketball
The UNLV Runnin' Rebels are a NCAA Division I men's basketball team who play at the Thomas & Mack Center in Paradise, Nevada. Their most recent appearance in the NCAA Tournament was in 2011 when they received an at–large bid to the NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament, earning an 8-seed in...
.
Westhead's teams led Division I in scoring in 1988 (110.3 points per game), 1989 (112.5), and 1990 (122.4). LMU's 122.4 point per game in 1990 was still a record as of October 2010. As of October 2010, Loyola Marymount held the five highest combined score games in Division I history. Four of the five occurred during Westhead's career, including a record 331 in the 181–150 win over United States International University on January 31, 1989.
Denver Nuggets
After the 1989–1990 season, Westhead left LMU for the NBA's Denver NuggetsDenver Nuggets
The Denver Nuggets are a professional basketball team based in Denver, Colorado. They play in the National Basketball Association . They were founded as the Denver Rockets in 1967 as a charter franchise of the American Basketball Association, and became one of that league's more successful teams...
, a position he held for two seasons. His tenure in Denver was best known for attempting to incorporate the Nellie ball
Nellie Ball
Nellie ball is an unconventional offensive strategy in basketball developed by NBA head coach Don Nelson. It is a fast-paced offense relying on smaller, more athletic players who can create mismatches by outrunning their opponents. A true center is usually not needed to run this type of offense. A...
run-and-gun offense that worked for LMU to the NBA.
However, while Denver averaged a league-best 119.9 points per game in 1990–91, it also surrendered an NBA record 130.8 points per game, including 107 points in a single half to the Phoenix Suns
Phoenix Suns
The Phoenix Suns are a professional basketball team based in Phoenix, Arizona. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association and the only team in their division not to be based in California. Their home arena since 1992 has been the US...
, which remains an NBA record. Under Westhead, the Nuggets were sometimes called the "Enver Nuggets" (as in no "D"). The next year the Nuggets drafted Dikembe Mutombo
Dikembe Mutombo
Dikembe Mutombo Mpolondo Mukamba Jean-Jacques Wamutombo , commonly referred to as Dikembe Mutombo, is a retired Congolese American professional basketball player who last played for the Houston Rockets of the NBA...
, who made the All-Star team, and played at a more conservative pace scoring just 99.7 points per game, but only improved to 24 wins. Westhead was fired from the Nuggets after two seasons after posting a combined W/L record of 44–120.
George Mason
Following his tenure with the Nuggets, Westhead returned to college coaching as the head coach of George Mason UniversityGeorge Mason Patriots men's basketball
The George Mason Patriots men's basketball team represents George Mason University and competes in the Colonial Athletic Association of NCAA Division I...
from 1993–1997. This time, Westhead's run-and-gun style did not succeed at the college level, ending his tenure at Mason with a 38–70 record. Westhead was succeeded at Mason by Jim Larranaga
Jim Larranaga
James Larranaga is an American college basketball coach and the head coach of the University of Miami men's basketball program. He was most notably the men's basketball coach of George Mason where he coached the Patriots to 13 consecutive winning seasons and became a media sensation during the...
after the 1996–1997 season.
Los Angeles Stars
Westhead was the head coach of the Los Angeles StarsLos Angeles Stars (2000–2001)
-External links:...
in the inaugural season of the new ABA in 2000–2001.
Orlando Magic
From 2003 to 2005 Westhead was an assistant coach with the Orlando MagicOrlando Magic
The Orlando Magic is a professional basketball team based in Orlando, Florida. They play in the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association and are currently coached by Stan Van Gundy...
under head coach Johnny Davis
Johnny Davis
Johnny Reginald Davis is a retired American professional basketball player, and currently an assistant coach for the NBA's Toronto Raptors. He played in the league with four teams in ten years from 1976-1986, winning an NBA championship in his rookie season with the Portland Trail Blazers...
. Prior to that he was head coach in the ABA
American Basketball Association (21st century)
The American Basketball Association, often abbreviated as ABA, is a semi-professional men's basketball league that was founded in 1999. The current ABA has no affiliation with the original American Basketball Association that merged with the National Basketball Association in 1976...
(2000–01) and in the Japanese Pro League (2001–03).
Phoenix Mercury
In 2005, Westhead was hired as the head coach of the WNBA's Phoenix MercuryPhoenix Mercury
The Phoenix Mercury is a professional basketball team based in Phoenix, Arizona, playing in the Western Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was founded before the league's inaugural 1997 season began; it is one of the eight original franchises...
, a position that he held until the 2007 WNBA season concluded. In 2007, Westhead coached the Mercury to a WNBA championship, making him the only coach to win a championship in the NBA and the WNBA.
Seattle SuperSonics/Oklahoma City Thunder
On September 27, 2007 he agreed to a contract with the NBA's Seattle SuperSonicsSeattle SuperSonics
The Seattle SuperSonics were an American professional basketball team based in Seattle, Washington that played in the Pacific and Northwest Divisions of the National Basketball Association from 1967 until 2008. Following the 2007–08 season, the team relocated to Oklahoma City, and now plays as...
to be an assistant coach under longtime friend P. J. Carlesimo. When Carlesimo was relieved of his duties on November 21, 2008, Westhead was also released as an assistant at that time.
University of Oregon, Women's Basketball
On March 26, 2009 University of Oregon Athletic Director Pat Kilkenny announced that Paul Westhead as the Ducks' newest head coach. As the sixth head coach in the history of the Oregon women's basketball, this is Westhead's first job as head coach of an NCAA women's program.External links
- BasketballReference.com: Paul Westhead
- wnba.com: Press release announcing Westhead's hiring as Phoenix Mercury coach
- Westhead resigns from Mercury job to accept assistant coach job from the Seattle Supersonics
- ESPN "30 for 30": The Guru of Go at the Internet Movie DatabaseInternet Movie DatabaseInternet Movie Database is an online database of information related to movies, television shows, actors, production crew personnel, video games and fictional characters featured in visual entertainment media. It is one of the most popular online entertainment destinations, with over 100 million...