Don Newman (basketball) facts for kids
Newman with Washington Wizards in 2013
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| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | November 22, 1957 New Orleans, Louisiana |
| Nationality | American |
| Died | September 11, 2018 (aged 60) New Orleans, Louisiana |
| High school | Brother Martin (New Orleans, Louisiana) |
| Listed height | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) |
| Career information | |
| College |
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| NBA Draft | 1980 / Round: 3 / Pick: 69th overall |
| Selected by the Boston Celtics | |
| Pro career | 1980–1983 |
| Coaching career | 1986–2016 |
| Career history | |
| As player: | |
| 1980–1983 | Montana Golden Nuggets |
| As coach: | |
| 1986–1987 | Moscow HS (sophomores) |
| 1987–1992 | Washington State (assistant) |
| 1992–1997 | Sacramento State |
| 1997–1998 | Arizona State |
| 1999–2003 | Milwaukee Bucks (assistant) |
| 2003–2004 | New Jersey Nets (assistant) |
| 2004–2012 | San Antonio Spurs (assistant) |
| 2012–2016 | Washington Wizards (assistant) |
| Career highlights and awards | |
As player:
As assistant coach:
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Donald David Newman (born November 22, 1957 – died September 11, 2018) was an American athlete. He played both basketball and Canadian football professionally. After his playing days, he became a basketball coach. He was the head coach at Arizona State and Sacramento State. He also worked as an assistant coach for NBA teams like the New Jersey Nets, San Antonio Spurs, and Washington Wizards.
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Don Newman's Early Life
Don Newman grew up in New Orleans, Louisiana. He was a talented athlete at Brother Martin High School. He played many sports and graduated in 1975. In his junior year, he was on the state championship basketball team. His teammate was Rick Robey.
College Sports Career
Newman started college at Louisiana State University (LSU) in 1975. He played for the LSU Tigers basketball team for one season. After that, he moved to Lake City Community College. He also spent some time at Grambling State University.
In 1977, he transferred to the University of Idaho. He didn't play much at Lake City or Grambling. After sitting out a year due to transfer rules, Newman played for the Idaho Vandals. This was from 1978 to 1980. Their new coach was Don Monson.
The Idaho Vandals had not done well for five years. But in Newman's senior year, they finished second in their conference. They made it to the conference tournament for the first time. Newman was chosen as the Big Sky Conference Men's Basketball Player of the Year. He was also a top player in the conference.
The Indiana Pacers picked Newman in the 1979 NBA draft. Then, the Boston Celtics drafted him in 1980. The Celtics later cut him before the season started. That year, the Celtics went on to win the NBA championship.
Newman also played center field for the Vandal baseball team in 1979. He was honored and added to the University of Idaho athletics hall of fame in 2018.
Playing Professional Football
| Career information | |
|---|---|
| CFL status | International |
| Position(s) | Wide receiver |
| Height | 6 ft 3 in (191 cm) |
| Weight | 205 lb (93 kg) |
| College | Idaho |
| High school | Brother Martin (New Orleans, Louisiana) |
| Career history | |
| As player | |
| 1981 | Seattle Seahawks* |
| 1981–1983 | Saskatchewan Roughriders |
| 1984 | Montreal Concordes |
| 1985 | New York Jets* |
| 1985 | Ottawa Rough Riders |
| 1986 | Hamilton Tiger-Cats |
| *Offseason and/or practice squad only | |
Even though he didn't play high school or college football, Newman tried out for the Seattle Seahawks in 1981. He tried out as a cornerback.
He then played in the Canadian Football League (CFL) as a wide receiver. He played for these teams:
- Saskatchewan Roughriders (1981–1983)
- Montreal Concordes (1984)
- Ottawa Rough Riders (1985)
- Hamilton Tiger-Cats (1986)
While playing pro football, Newman also played pro basketball. He played for three seasons in the Continental Basketball Association (CBA). He was with the Montana Golden Nuggets. His coach there was George Karl.
Coaching Career Highlights
High School Coaching
In 1985, Newman returned to northern Idaho. He was an assistant football coach at Lewiston High School. Then, he became an assistant football coach and sophomore basketball coach at Moscow High School. He also worked at a shoe store. In 1987, he finished his college degree in physical education from the University of Idaho.
College Coaching
From 1987 to 1992, Newman was an assistant coach. He worked at Washington State in Pullman. He worked under coach Kelvin Sampson. In 1989, he earned his master's degree from WSU. His team made it to the NIT in his last year there.
From 1992 to 1997, Newman was the head coach for Sacramento State. The team was moving from Division II to Division I. He then became an assistant coach at Arizona State. In September 1997, he became the head coach there. In his only season at Arizona State, his team had a winning record. They played in the NIT.
NBA Coaching
In 1999, Newman became an assistant coach for the Milwaukee Bucks. He worked under coach George Karl. In 2003, he moved to the New Jersey Nets.
In 2004, Newman joined Gregg Popovich's coaching staff. This was for the San Antonio Spurs. He spent eight seasons with the Spurs. During this time, the team won two NBA championships. They won in 2005 and 2007. In 2012, he joined Randy Wittman's staff at the Washington Wizards.
His Passing
After a long battle with brain cancer, Don Newman passed away. He was 60 years old. He died at his home in New Orleans on September 11, 2018.
