Kevin Ollie facts for kids
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Ollie in May 2014
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| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | December 27, 1972 Dallas, Texas, U.S. |
| High school | Crenshaw (Los Angeles, California) |
| Listed height | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) |
| Listed weight | 195 lb (88 kg) |
| Career information | |
| College | UConn (1991–1995) |
| NBA Draft | 1995 / Undrafted |
| Pro career | 1995–2010 |
| Coaching career | 2012–present |
| Career history | |
| As player: | |
| 1995–1997 | Connecticut Pride |
| 1997 | Dallas Mavericks |
| 1998 | Orlando Magic |
| 1999 | Sacramento Kings |
| 1999 | Orlando Magic |
| 1999–2000 | Philadelphia 76ers |
| 2000 | New Jersey Nets |
| 2000–2001 | Philadelphia 76ers |
| 2001–2002 | Chicago Bulls |
| 2002 | Indiana Pacers |
| 2002–2003 | Milwaukee Bucks |
| 2003 | Seattle SuperSonics |
| 2003–2004 | Cleveland Cavaliers |
| 2004–2008 | Philadelphia 76ers |
| 2008–2009 | Minnesota Timberwolves |
| 2009–2010 | Oklahoma City Thunder |
| As coach: | |
| 2010–2012 | UConn (assistant) |
| 2012–2018 | UConn |
| 2021–2023 | Overtime Elite |
| 2023–2024 | Brooklyn Nets (assistant) |
| 2024 | Brooklyn Nets (interim) |
| Career highlights and awards | |
As player:
As coach:
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| Career NBA statistics | |
| Points | 2,496 (3.8 ppg) |
| Rebounds | 1,018 (1.5 rpg) |
| Assists | 1,501 (2.3 apg) |
Kevin Jermaine Ollie (born December 27, 1972) is an American basketball coach and former player. He recently served as the interim head coach for the Brooklyn Nets in the National Basketball Association (NBA).
Kevin Ollie is well-known for coaching the University of Connecticut men's basketball team. He is one of only four African-American coaches to win an NCAA men's basketball championship. He earned his degree in communications from UConn in 1995. After college, he played for 13 seasons in the NBA, joining 12 different teams. He played most often for the Philadelphia 76ers.
After his playing career ended in 2010, Ollie became an assistant coach at UConn. In 2012, he became the head coach, taking over from his former college coach, Jim Calhoun. In his second year as head coach, his team won the national championship in 2014. He later left the team in 2018.
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Early Life and Growing Up
Kevin Ollie was born in Dallas, Texas. He grew up in South Central Los Angeles. When he was seven, his parents divorced. His father moved to Dallas. Kevin spent his summers there, doing small jobs to be with his dad. His mother, a teacher and minister, raised him and his two older sisters.
Playing Basketball: From College to the NBA
Kevin Ollie played basketball at Crenshaw High School in Los Angeles, California. He then became a star player for four seasons at the University of Connecticut from 1991 to 1995. After graduating from college, he played for the Connecticut Pride in the Continental Basketball Association from 1995 to 1997. After that, he began his career in the NBA.
During the 2008–09 season, the Minnesota Timberwolves chose Ollie as their team captain. On August 1, 2009, he signed with the Oklahoma City Thunder. After that season, Ollie retired from playing to become an assistant coach for the Connecticut Huskies.
NBA star Kevin Durant once said that Kevin Ollie helped change the team culture in Oklahoma City. Durant explained that Ollie taught him and other young players like Russell Westbrook and James Harden about being professional. He said Ollie's mindset and professionalism became the standard for all Thunder players.
Ollie had a similar positive effect on the Cleveland Cavaliers. The Cavaliers' general manager, Jim Paxson, said they signed Ollie to help their younger players, especially LeBron James. Paxson valued Ollie's professional attitude and approach to the game.
Coaching Career: Leading the Huskies to a Championship
In 2012, Kevin Ollie became the head basketball coach at University of Connecticut. He replaced Jim Calhoun, who had been his coach when Ollie played for UConn. Ollie had also worked as an assistant coach for Calhoun for two seasons. As an assistant coach in 2011, Ollie helped the Huskies win 11 straight postseason games. This included winning the Big East tournament and the 2011 NCAA men's basketball championship. On December 29, 2012, UConn and Ollie agreed to a five-year contract.
In his first season as head coach, the Huskies finished with 20 wins and 10 losses. However, the team could not play in the postseason. This was because the NCAA (the main group that sets rules for college sports) had banned them due to low academic scores from previous seasons.
On December 2, 2013, the Huskies beat Florida and were ranked #9 in the country. They finished third in their conference. They won two games in the conference tournament before losing in the championship game. UConn then earned a spot in the NCAA tournament as a #7 seed. They won four games, beating higher-ranked teams like Villanova and Michigan State. This made them the first #7 seed to reach the Final Four since 1985.
On April 5, 2014, the Huskies defeated top-ranked Florida in the Final Four. Then, on April 7, they beat Kentucky 60–54 in the championship game. This victory gave UConn its fourth NCAA men's basketball championship in 15 years.
On May 22, 2014, Ollie signed a new five-year contract with UConn. However, he was later let go from his coaching job on March 10, 2018. This happened after the NCAA found that some rules were not followed within the basketball program during his time there. The NCAA placed some restrictions on the UConn team and on Ollie. Ollie disagreed with the decision and filed a claim. An arbitrator later ruled in January 2022 that UConn had improperly fired him and ordered the university to pay him back.
On April 12, 2021, Kevin Ollie was hired by Overtime Elite. He became their head of coaching and basketball development.
On June 3, 2023, Ollie was hired as an assistant coach for the Brooklyn Nets in the NBA. He worked under head coach Jacque Vaughn. After Vaughn was let go in 2024, the Nets promoted Ollie to be their interim head coach.
Awards and Recognition
In 2014, ESPN created a list of the Top 50 college basketball coaches. Kevin Ollie was ranked tenth on this list. Even though it was only his second year as a head coach, he had achieved a lot. He led a team that was banned from the NCAA tournament to a 20–10 record. The next year, he led them to a national championship.
Personal Life
Kevin Ollie is a Christian. During his time in the NBA, he was very involved with the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. His chaplain there said that Kevin was very dedicated to his faith.
Kevin Ollie and his ex-wife, Stephanie, have two children: a son named Jalen and a daughter named Cheyenne.
Images for kids
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Ollie in May 2014
