Mike Woodson facts for kids
Woodson coaching Indiana in 2022
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| Sacramento Kings | ||||||||||||||
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| Associate head coach | ||||||||||||||
| Personal information | ||||||||||||||
| Born | March 24, 1958 Indianapolis, Indiana, U.S. |
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| High school | Broad Ripple (Indianapolis, Indiana) |
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| Listed height | 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) | |||||||||||||
| Listed weight | 225 lb (102 kg) | |||||||||||||
| Career information | ||||||||||||||
| College | Indiana (1976–1980) | |||||||||||||
| NBA Draft | 1980 / Round: 1 / Pick: 12th overall | |||||||||||||
| Selected by the New York Knicks | ||||||||||||||
| Pro career | 1980–1991 | |||||||||||||
| Coaching career | 1996–present | |||||||||||||
| League | NBA | |||||||||||||
| Career history | ||||||||||||||
| As player: | ||||||||||||||
| 1980–1981 | New York Knicks | |||||||||||||
| 1982 | New Jersey Nets | |||||||||||||
| 1982–1986 | Kansas City / Sacramento Kings | |||||||||||||
| 1986–1988 | Los Angeles Clippers | |||||||||||||
| 1988–1990 | Houston Rockets | |||||||||||||
| 1990–1991 | Cleveland Cavaliers | |||||||||||||
| As coach: | ||||||||||||||
| 1996–1999 | Milwaukee Bucks (assistant) | |||||||||||||
| 1999–2001 | Cleveland Cavaliers (assistant) | |||||||||||||
| 2001–2003 | Philadelphia 76ers (assistant) | |||||||||||||
| 2003–2004 | Detroit Pistons (assistant) | |||||||||||||
| 2004–2010 | Atlanta Hawks | |||||||||||||
| 2011–2012 | New York Knicks (assistant) | |||||||||||||
| 2012–2014 | New York Knicks | |||||||||||||
| 2014–2018 | Los Angeles Clippers (assistant) | |||||||||||||
| 2020–2021 | New York Knicks (assistant) | |||||||||||||
| 2021–2025 | Indiana | |||||||||||||
| 2025–present | Sacramento Kings (associate HC) | |||||||||||||
| Career highlights and awards | ||||||||||||||
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| Career NBA statistics | ||||||||||||||
| Points | 10,981 (14.0 ppg) | |||||||||||||
| Assists | 1,822 (2.3 apg) | |||||||||||||
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Medals
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Michael Dean Woodson, born on March 24, 1958, is a well-known American basketball coach and former player. He is currently an associate head coach for the Sacramento Kings in the National Basketball Association (NBA).
Woodson played college basketball for the Indiana Hoosiers from 1976 to 1980. He was coached by the famous Bob Knight. As a junior, he helped his team win the 1979 NIT Tournament. That same summer, he won a gold medal with the United States basketball team at the 1979 Pan American Games. In his final year, Woodson and Isiah Thomas led the Hoosiers to a conference championship. Woodson was named the Big Ten Player of the Year in 1980. He is still one of the top scorers in Hoosiers history.
After college, Woodson played 11 seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA). He was drafted by the New York Knicks in 1980. He also played for the New Jersey Nets, Kansas City/Sacramento Kings, Los Angeles Clippers, Houston Rockets, and Cleveland Cavaliers.
Later, Woodson became a coach for many NBA teams. He was an assistant coach for several teams, including the Detroit Pistons, where he won an NBA Championship in 2004. He also served as head coach for the Atlanta Hawks and the New York Knicks. In 2021, he returned to coach his college team, the Indiana Hoosiers.
Contents
Early Life and Basketball Dreams
Mike Woodson was born in 1958 in Indianapolis, Indiana. He was one of 12 children. His family faced financial challenges, and his parents had health issues. His father, Chester, worked many jobs to support the family. Sadly, Chester passed away when Mike was only 13.
After his father's death, Mike lived with his oldest sister for a year. He then moved back with his mother, Odessa, to help support her. He even gave her half of his paychecks.
Growing up in Indiana, Mike was surrounded by a strong love for basketball, known as "Hoosier Hysteria." He said that almost every yard had a basketball hoop. There were also many parks and recreation centers where he could play and improve his skills. He practiced with talented players, including future professionals. Mike learned that Indiana basketball was all about passing, shooting, dribbling, and playing as a team.
College Basketball Career at Indiana University
Woodson chose to play college basketball for Bob Knight and the Indiana University Hoosiers. He wanted to play somewhere he could get a great education and where his family could easily watch him play. He believed he was playing for the best coach in the country.
In his first year, the Hoosiers were coming off an undefeated season. Woodson learned quickly about Coach Knight's tough coaching style. In his second year, the Hoosiers made it to the Sweet Sixteen in the 1978 NCAA Tournament.
In his junior year (1978–79), Woodson was a team captain. He averaged 21 points per game. After a game where he scored a career-high 48 points, Coach Knight strongly defended Woodson to the media. He felt Woodson should have been on the All-Big Ten first team. The Hoosiers went on to win the 1979 NIT Tournament.
After that season, Woodson was chosen to play for the United States team in the 1979 Pan American Games. Coach Knight also coached this team. Woodson led the U.S. team to a perfect 9–0 record and a gold medal. He was the team captain and top scorer.
In his senior year (1979–80), Woodson and Isiah Thomas led the Hoosiers. The team started strong but faced challenges when Woodson had back surgery. However, when he returned, the Hoosiers went on a winning streak. They won the Big Ten Conference title. Even with his injury, Woodson was named the Big Ten's Most Valuable Player. He finished his college career with over 2,000 points.
NBA Playing Career
The New York Knicks drafted Mike Woodson as the 12th pick in the 1980 NBA draft. He played in the NBA from 1980 to 1991. He averaged 14.0 points per game over 786 games.
After one season with the Knicks, Woodson played for the New Jersey Nets. He then joined the Kansas City/Sacramento Kings for five seasons. He often played as a starter or a key player coming off the bench. In the 1982–83 season, he averaged a career-high 18.2 points per game.
Woodson later played for the Los Angeles Clippers, Houston Rockets, and Cleveland Cavaliers. Throughout his career, he learned from many great coaches.
NBA Coaching Career
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Assistant Coaching Roles
Before becoming a head coach, Woodson was an assistant coach for several NBA teams. He worked with the Milwaukee Bucks, Cleveland Cavaliers, Philadelphia 76ers, and Detroit Pistons.
With the Pistons in the 2003–04 season, Woodson worked closely with head coach Larry Brown. They helped the Pistons win an NBA Championship that year. Woodson was known for helping players improve their defense.
After his time as a head coach, Woodson returned to assistant coaching. He joined the Los Angeles Clippers from 2014 to 2018. In 2020, he became an assistant coach for the New York Knicks again. He left that role to become the head coach of the Indiana Hoosiers.
Leading the Atlanta Hawks
In the 2004–05 season, Mike Woodson became the head coach of the Atlanta Hawks. His first season was tough, but the team improved each year.
By the 2007–08 season, the Hawks made the playoffs for the first time in many years. They lost in the first round to the Boston Celtics. This was the start of three straight playoff appearances for Woodson and the Hawks.
In the 2008–09 season, the Hawks won 47 games. They won their first-round playoff series before losing in the next round. In the 2009–10 season, the Hawks had their best record under Woodson, winning 53 games. They won their first-round series again but were swept in the second round. After this season, his contract ended, and the Hawks decided not to re-sign him.
Woodson's 206 wins with the Hawks rank fourth in the team's history. He helped develop important players like Al Horford.
Coaching the New York Knicks
On August 29, 2011, Mike Woodson joined the New York Knicks as an assistant coach. In March 2012, he became the interim head coach after the previous coach resigned. Under Woodson, the Knicks finished the regular season strong. They made the playoffs for the second year in a row. Woodson was then officially named the full-time head coach.
In the 2012–13 season, Woodson's Knicks had a great start. They won the Atlantic Division title for the first time since 1994. The team finished with 54 wins, their best record in years. They also set an NBA record for three-pointers in a season. The Knicks won their first playoff series since 2000 but were eliminated in the second round.
The 2013–14 season was challenging for the Knicks. They struggled and missed the playoffs. On April 21, 2014, Woodson was fired from his position. He finished his time as Knicks coach with a record of 109 wins and 79 losses. He coached and mentored stars like Carmelo Anthony.
Sacramento Kings (2025–present)
On May 7, 2025, it was announced that Woodson was hired as the associate head coach of the Sacramento Kings. He officially started this role on May 12, 2025.
Indiana Hoosiers Coaching Career
On March 28, 2021, Mike Woodson was hired as the head coach of the Indiana Hoosiers men's basketball team. This was a return to his college roots.
In his first year (2021–22), Woodson led the Hoosiers to a 21–14 record. They made it to the semifinals of the Big Ten tournament. They also qualified for the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2016. They won their "First Four" game before losing in the first round.
In his second season, Indiana again made it to the NCAA tournament. This was the first time Indiana had back-to-back tournament appearances since 2015 and 2016.
During the 2022–23 season, Woodson's Hoosiers finished with a 23–12 record. They were ranked in the top 25 and tied for second in the Big Ten. The team was excellent at shooting and defending. Woodson helped develop future NBA players like Trayce Jackson-Davis and Jalen Hood-Schifino.
On February 7, 2025, Indiana announced that Woodson would step down as head coach at the end of the 2024–25 season.
Coaching Style
Mike Woodson learned from many famous coaches during his playing and assistant coaching days. These included Bob Knight and Larry Brown. His coaching style reflects their teachings. He focuses on hard work, being responsible, and sharing the ball.
Woodson is known for his calm but firm approach. He emphasizes teaching his players the "right way" to play. Even though he learned from traditional coaches, Woodson uses a modern style of play at Indiana. He likes an offense that allows players to move freely and shoot three-pointers. He also uses data to help make decisions about player combinations.
Larry Brown, who hired Woodson twice, described him as a "really good, decent guy who respects the game." He also said Woodson is "loyal as hell and loves to coach and teach."
Personal Life
Mike Woodson is married to Terri, and they have two daughters, Alexis and Mariah. Both of their daughters played college volleyball. Woodson prefers talking to people directly rather than using emails or text messages.
Images for kids
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Woodson coaching Indiana in 2022
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Woodson as Knicks head coach in 2013
See also
In Spanish: Mike Woodson para niños
