Jim Cleamons facts for kids
.jpg) |
|
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | September 13, 1949 Lincolnton, North Carolina, U.S. |
| High school | Linden-McKinley (Columbus, Ohio) |
| Listed height | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) |
| Listed weight | 185 lb (84 kg) |
| Career information | |
| College | Ohio State (1968–1971) |
| NBA Draft | 1971 / Round: 1 / Pick: 13th overall |
| Selected by the Los Angeles Lakers | |
| Pro career | 1971–1980 |
| Coaching career | 1982–present |
| Career history | |
| As player: | |
| 1971–1972 | Los Angeles Lakers |
| 1972–1977 | Cleveland Cavaliers |
| 1977–1979 | New York Knicks |
| 1979–1980 | Washington Bullets |
| As coach: | |
| 1982–1983 | Furman (assistant) |
| 1983–1987 | Ohio State (assistant) |
| 1987–1989 | Youngstown State |
| 1989–1996 | Chicago Bulls (assistant) |
| 1996–1997 | Dallas Mavericks |
| 1998–1999 | Chicago Condors |
| 1999–2004 | Los Angeles Lakers (assistant) |
| 2004–2006 | New Orleans Hornets (assistant) |
| 2006–2011 | Los Angeles Lakers (assistant) |
| 2011–2012 | Zhejiang Guangsha |
| 2013–2014 | Milwaukee Bucks (assistant) |
| 2014–2016 | New York Knicks (assistant) |
| 2017–2018 | Yeshiva University of Los Angeles (assistant) |
| Career highlights and awards | |
As player:
As assistant coach:
|
|
| Career statistics | |
| Points | 5,412 (8.3 ppg) |
| Rebounds | 1,981 (3.0 rpg) |
| Assists | 2,531 (3.9 apg) |
James Mitchell Cleamons (born September 13, 1949) is a former American basketball player and coach. He played in the National Basketball Association (NBA) for nine years. After his playing career, he became a very successful coach. He was an assistant coach on nine NBA championship teams.
Contents
Jim Cleamons' Early Life and College
Jim Cleamons was born in Lincolnton, North Carolina, on September 13, 1949. He grew up in Columbus, Ohio. In 1967, he graduated from Linden-McKinley High School. His high school basketball team won a state championship.
Cleamons then went to Ohio State University in Columbus. He studied education there. He played on the Ohio State basketball team. He was a swingman, playing both forward and point guard. In his final year, 1970-71, he was the team captain. He led his team to a Big Ten championship. The team finished with a great 20-6 record. Ohio State was ranked 10th in the nation that year.
He was chosen for the first team All-Big Ten for the 1970-71 season.
Jim Cleamons' NBA Playing Career
In 1971, the Los Angeles Lakers picked Jim Cleamons as the 13th player in the 1971 NBA draft. He played for nine years in the NBA. He played for four different teams during his career. These teams were the Los Angeles Lakers, the Cleveland Cavaliers, the New York Knicks, and the Washington Bullets. He was 6 feet 3 inches tall and weighed 185 pounds.
In the 1971-72 season, Cleamons was a rookie for the Lakers. This team was amazing. They won 33 games in a row! They finished the season with 69 wins and only 13 losses. This Lakers team also won the NBA championship that year. It is still known as one of the best teams in NBA history. Cleamons was a backup point guard to the famous player Jerry West.
In 1972, the Lakers traded Cleamons to the Cleveland Cavaliers. He played more often in Cleveland. During the 1974-75 season, he played over 36 minutes per game. In the 1975-76 season, he started every game for the Cavaliers. He scored a career-high 12.2 points per game. He also had 4.3 rebounds and 5.2 assists per game.
This Cavaliers team was very successful. They were known for their strong defense. They were called the "Miracle of Richfield" team. They won their first playoff series against the Washington Bullets. It was a very close series that went to seven games. Cleamons made a game-winning shot in Game 5 of that series. After one more season in Cleveland, he joined the New York Knicks. He played two full seasons with the Knicks. Later, he was traded to the Washington Bullets. The 1979-80 season was his last as an NBA player.
Jim Cleamons' Coaching Career
After he stopped playing, Jim Cleamons started coaching. He first coached at the college level. He was an assistant coach at Furman and Ohio State. Then, he became the head coach at Youngstown State from 1987 to 1989.
Cleamons had played with Phil Jackson when they were both on the Knicks. They had a good understanding of basketball together. In 1989, Phil Jackson became the head coach of the Chicago Bulls. He asked Cleamons to join his coaching staff. Cleamons became Jackson's assistant coach.
As an assistant coach, Cleamons helped his teams win nine NBA championships! He worked with Jackson for the Bulls and the Lakers. This means he coached famous players like Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant. He was an assistant coach for the Bulls from 1989 to 1996.
Cleamons was also the head coach for the Dallas Mavericks for about a year. He also coached the Chicago Condors, a women's professional basketball team. He returned to be an assistant coach for the Lakers with Phil Jackson from 1999-2004 and 2006-2011. He also coached in China and was an assistant for the Milwaukee Bucks and New York Knicks.
In 2017, Cleamons became an assistant coach for a high school boys' basketball team. This was at Yeshiva University of Los Angeles (YULA).
Jim Cleamons' Personal Life
In 2019 and 2020, Jim Cleamons worked as an NBA basketball ambassador. He traveled to Africa and Australia. In 2020, he and his wife moved back to Columbus, Ohio. He coached the Ohio team in the 2022 HCBU College Basketball All Star Game. He also works as a motivational speaker and basketball instructor for young people.
Jim Cleamons' Honors and Awards
Jim Cleamons has received several awards for his basketball career:
- In 1984, he was added to the Ohio State Hall of Fame.
- In 2008, he was added to the Ohio Basketball Hall of Fame.
- In 2019, he was added to the Ohio High School Circle of Champions.
See also
In Spanish: Jim Cleamons para niños
