Bill Musselman facts for kids

William Clifford Musselman (born August 13, 1940 – died May 5, 2000) was an American basketball coach. He coached teams in college (NCAA) and in several professional leagues like the NBA. He was known for his strong passion for the game. He once said, "Defeat is worse than death because you have to live with defeat."

Bill Musselman: A Coach with Passion

Early Life and School Days

Bill Musselman was the second of five children. His father, Clifford, was an auto mechanic. His mother, Bertha, later married James Miller, who became a big part of Bill's life.

Young Bill played basketball, football, and baseball at Wooster High School in Wooster, Ohio. When he graduated in 1958, he was the school's second-highest scorer in basketball. After high school, he went to Wittenberg College (now Wittenberg University) in Ohio. There, he played basketball for Ray Mears, who later coached at the University of Tennessee.

Coaching Journey Begins

High School Coaching

In 1963, at just 23 years old, Musselman became the head men's basketball coach at Kent State University High School in Kent, Ohio. In his first season, his team finished with a 14–5 record. They also shared the conference title.

College Success at Ashland

In 1964, Musselman moved to Ashland University in Ashland, Ohio. He started as an assistant coach for both football and basketball. In 1965, the head basketball coach left. Musselman was promoted to head coach at age 25.

In his first year, his team had a 10–10 record. Over the next five seasons, his Ashland teams were very successful. They won 109 games and lost only 20. His teams reached the NCAA College Division Tournament four times. This tournament was a big event for college teams. His 1968–69 team set an NCAA record by allowing only 33.9 points per game. This showed how much he focused on strong defense.

Leading the Minnesota Gophers

After the 1970–71 season, Musselman left Ashland to coach at the University of Minnesota.

In 1971–72, he led the Gophers to an 18–7 record. They won their first Big Ten Championship in 53 years. The team included future stars like Dave Winfield and Jim Brewer. During this season, there was an incident in a game against Ohio State. Several Minnesota players and fans were involved in a fight with Ohio State players. The Gophers later faced consequences for rule violations.

The next season (1972–73), Musselman guided the Gophers to a 21–5 record. They were ranked as high as No. 3 in the country. In his final season at Minnesota, his team went 18–8. Future NBA players like Mychal Thompson were on this team. His overall record at Minnesota was 61 wins and 32 losses. During his time, attendance at home games grew a lot, from 4,000 to nearly 18,000 fans per game.

Coaching in Professional Leagues

First Pro Teams: ABA

In 1975, Musselman moved to professional basketball. He was hired to coach the San Diego Sails in the American Basketball Association (ABA). The team only played 11 games before it had money problems and stopped playing.

A week later, Musselman was hired by another ABA team, the Virginia Squires. He coached the Squires for a short time before being replaced. He noted that players were more worried about the team's money issues than about basketball.

The NBA and CBA Years

After a break, Musselman returned to coaching in 1978–79. He coached the Reno Bighorns in the Western Basketball Association (WBA). He led them to a 28–20 record and the WBA championship game.

In 1980, he got his first NBA head coaching job with the Cleveland Cavaliers. He coached the team for parts of two seasons. He later resigned in 1982.

In 1983, Musselman started coaching in the minor league Continental Basketball Association (CBA). He coached the Sarasota Stingers for a short time.

Building Winning Teams in the CBA

The next season, Musselman joined the expansion Tampa Bay Thrillers of the CBA. Over the next three seasons, he built one of the most successful teams in sports history.

His 1984–85 Thrillers team had a 45–18 record and won the CBA title. They won again the next season, going 46–19. In 1986–87, the team moved to Rapid City, South Dakota. They won their third straight CBA championship. Musselman was named CBA Coach of the Year for his great work.

Many talented players played for Musselman's Thriller teams, including Sam Mitchell and Sidney Lowe.

In 1987, Musselman moved to the Albany Patroons for the 1987–88 CBA season. He led them to an amazing 48–6 record and his fourth straight league title. He was named CBA Coach of the Year for the second time.

Coaching the Minnesota Timberwolves

Because of his success in the CBA, Musselman was hired as the head coach of the new Minnesota Timberwolves NBA team in 1988. His team was made up of many new players. In their first season (1989–90), the Wolves had a 22–60 record. The next season, they improved to 29–53. Musselman was fired in 1991. However, the 29 wins under Musselman were the most for the Timberwolves until 1996–97. His expansion team won more games than any other new NBA team from that time.

A player from that team, Pooh Richardson, said that Musselman always gave them a chance to win. He taught them to play hard.

Back to College and the NBA

In 1993, Musselman returned to the CBA to coach the Rochester Renegade. This team had struggled, but under Musselman, they improved greatly.

In March 1995, Musselman went back to college coaching at the University of South Alabama. In two seasons, he turned the team around. His 1997 South Alabama team went 23–7 and almost beat the eventual champions, Arizona, in the NCAA tournament.

In October 1997, Musselman returned to the NBA as an assistant coach for the Portland Trail Blazers. This was his first time as an assistant coach in the pros. He served with the Blazers for three seasons until his death in May 2000.

His Coaching Style

Bill Musselman was known for his strong passion for basketball. He was sometimes described as "intense" and "fiery." He believed his passion helped players give their best effort.

NBA coach Flip Saunders said that Musselman had "great passion" in everything he did. Scott Brooks, another NBA coach who played for Musselman, learned a lot from him. Brooks said Musselman taught him to be consistent and always play with toughness. He believed there were no excuses for not playing hard.

A former CBA coach, Charley Rosen, said Musselman had a good sense of fairness. He once saw Musselman argue with referees after a game, saying they had made unfair calls against the other team. Musselman believed in winning fairly.

People who knew him described him as "volatile," "colorful," and "intense." Sidney Lowe, who played for him, said he was "very demanding... but he was an excellent coach."

His Legacy in Basketball

Many of Musselman's former assistant coaches and players went on to become successful coaches in the NBA and college. These include his son Eric Musselman, who coached the Golden State Warriors and Sacramento Kings, and is now the head coach of the USC Trojans. Other notable coaches include Sidney Lowe, Tyrone Corbin, Tom Thibodeau, Scott Brooks, and Sam Mitchell.

Bill and Eric Musselman were the first father and son to both be NBA head coaches.

Later Life and Passing

Musselman suffered a stroke in October 1999 after a game. In April 2000, he was diagnosed with a rare disease called amyloidosis. This disease causes abnormal proteins to build up in organs. He passed away on May 5, 2000, at the age of 59, due to heart and kidney failure.

The Portland Trail Blazers used Musselman as an inspiration during their 2000 playoff run. The team's media guide for the next season was dedicated to him. It described him as "a keen strategist and an inspiring motivator."

Head coaching record

NBA

Family

Bill Musselman had three children: two sons and a daughter. His oldest son, Eric Musselman, is also a well-known basketball coach. He has coached in the NBA for the Golden State Warriors and Sacramento Kings. Currently, Eric is the head coach of the USC Trojans men's basketball team. Bill and Eric were the first father and son to both be NBA head coaches.