Sam Cassell facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Sam Cassell

Cassell in 2013
Boston Celtics
Assistant coach
Personal information
Born	(1969-11-18) November 18, 1969 (age 55) Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.
High school	Paul Laurence Dunbar (Baltimore, Maryland) Maine Central Institute (Pittsfield, Maine)
Listed height	6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
Listed weight	185 lb (84 kg)
Career information
College	San Jacinto (1989–1991) Florida State (1991–1993)
NBA Draft	1993 / Round: 1 / Pick: 24th overall
Selected by the Houston Rockets
Pro career	1993–2009
Coaching career	2009–present
League	NBA
Career history
As player:
1993–1996	Houston Rockets
1996	Phoenix Suns
1996–1997	Dallas Mavericks
1997–1999	New Jersey Nets
1999–2003	Milwaukee Bucks
2003–2005	Minnesota Timberwolves
2005–2008	Los Angeles Clippers
2008–2009	Boston Celtics
As coach:
2009–2014	Washington Wizards (assistant)
2014–2020	Los Angeles Clippers (assistant)
2020–2023	Philadelphia 76ers (assistant)
2023–present	Boston Celtics (assistant)
Career highlights and awards
As player: 3× NBA champion (1994, 1995, 2008) NBA All-Star (2004) All-NBA Second Team (2004) 2× Second-team All-ACC (1992, 1993) No. 10 jersey honored by Florida State Seminoles As assistant coach: NBA champion (2024)

Samuel James Cassell Sr. (born November 18, 1969) is an American professional basketball coach and former point guard. He is currently an assistant coach for the Boston Celtics in the National Basketball Association (NBA).

Sam Cassell was picked 24th overall in the 1993 NBA draft after playing for Florida State. He played for eight different teams during his 15-year career. He was chosen for the NBA All-Star Game and the All-NBA Team once, both in the 2003–04 season.

In his first two seasons, he helped the Houston Rockets win back-to-back championships in 1994 and 1995. He won a third championship with the Boston Celtics in 2008, which was his last season as a player. He also helped the Milwaukee Bucks and Minnesota Timberwolves reach the Conference Finals in 2001 and 2004. The 2004 trip was the Timberwolves' first time ever reaching that stage. He also helped the Los Angeles Clippers win their first-ever playoff series in 2006. Sam Cassell was known for his mid-range jumpshot and often made important shots late in games to help his team win.

College Basketball Journey

After finishing high school in Baltimore, Maryland, Sam Cassell spent a year at Maine Central Institute. He then started his college basketball career at San Jacinto College in Texas, where he was known for scoring a lot of points.

He later moved to Florida State University for his junior and senior years. In his senior year (1992–93), he averaged 18.3 points, 4.9 assists, and 4.3 rebounds per game. He also led the ACC in steals. Sam Cassell and his teammate Bob Sura were a powerful duo, scoring and rebounding more than almost any other backcourt in the country.

His Florida State team finished with a 25–10 record. They made it to the Elite Eight in the NCAA Tournament, where they lost to the University of Kentucky. On February 14, 2008, Florida State honored Sam Cassell by retiring his jersey number.

Playing in the NBA

Houston Rockets: Winning Championships (1993–1996)

The Houston Rockets picked Sam Cassell as the 24th overall player in the 1993 NBA draft. He mostly played as a backup to Kenny Smith. Cassell quickly became known for making "clutch" plays, meaning he was great at scoring important baskets late in close games. He was often on the court during the fourth quarter of tight matches.

In his first year, he was a key player in the Rockets' playoff run. He scored 22 points and had seven assists in a crucial Game 7 win against the Phoenix Suns. He also scored 7 points in the last 32 seconds of a Game 3 win in the 1994 NBA Finals against the New York Knicks. The Rockets went on to win the championship in seven games.

In his second year, Cassell played in all 82 games. He helped the Rockets reach the NBA Finals again. In Game 2 of the Finals against the Orlando Magic, Cassell scored 31 points. The Rockets swept the Magic, meaning they won all four games. This gave Sam Cassell his second championship in just two years!

In his third season, the Rockets were swept out of the playoffs by the Seattle SuperSonics. Cassell's playing time and scoring increased, but he missed 21 games due to injuries.

Moving Around the League (1996–2003)

After the 1995–96 season, Cassell was traded to the Phoenix Suns. He played 22 games there before being traded again to the Dallas Mavericks. He played 16 games for the Mavericks. Then, in February 1997, he was traded a third time in the same season to the New Jersey Nets.

Even with all the trades, Cassell decided to stay with the Nets. He signed a six-year contract. He and Kerry Kittles formed a strong backcourt. Cassell averaged 19.6 points and 8 assists per game. He helped lead the Nets to the playoffs for the first time in four years. However, they lost to Michael Jordan and the Bulls in the first round.

In March 1999, Cassell was traded to the Milwaukee Bucks. There, he joined Ray Allen and Glenn Robinson to form a "Big 3" team. On March 3, 2001, he scored a career-high 40 points against the Chicago Bulls. During the 2001 All-Star Weekend, he won the Fleer Shootout. That season, the Bucks almost made it to the NBA Finals. They lost in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals to the Philadelphia 76ers.

During the 2002–03 season, Sam Cassell scored his 10,000th career point. On December 9, 2002, he had one of his best games, getting a triple-double with 39 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists. In 2008, the Milwaukee Bucks honored him as one of their 20 greatest players.

Minnesota Timberwolves: All-Star Season (2003–2005)

After four seasons with the Bucks, Cassell was traded to the Minnesota Timberwolves. He had his most successful season in that year. He averaged 19.8 points, 7.3 assists, and 1.3 steals per game. He was named to the All-NBA Second Team and was voted into the 2004 NBA All-Star Game.

Cassell, Latrell Sprewell, and Kevin Garnett formed one of the best trios in the NBA that season. They helped the Timberwolves get the number one spot in the Western Conference with a record of 58 wins and 24 losses. This was the best record in the team's history.

Cassell scored a team playoff record of 40 points in his first playoff game with the Timberwolves. They won that series. He scored 40 points again in the next round against the Sacramento Kings. Cassell's clutch plays helped the Timberwolves win that series in seven games. However, he got a back injury that limited him in the Western Conference Finals, where they lost to the Lakers.

The next year, the Timberwolves missed the playoffs. Cassell played in fewer games due to injuries.

Los Angeles Clippers: Making History (2005–2008)

Cassell signing basketballs with the Clippers

After the 2004–05 season, Cassell was traded to the Los Angeles Clippers. This trade is seen as one of the most one-sided ever, as Cassell helped the Clippers have their most successful season at the time. The Timberwolves did not make the playoffs again until 2018.

Cassell helped lead the Clippers back to the playoffs for the first time since 1997. They had their best team record ever at 47 wins and 35 losses. In the first round, they beat the Denver Nuggets. They then lost to the Phoenix Suns in seven games in the next round. This was the only time the Clippers won a playoff series between 1978 and 2011.

Cassell struggled with injuries the next season, and the Clippers missed the playoffs. In February 2008, the Clippers and Cassell agreed to end his contract early.

Boston Celtics: Third Championship (2008–2009)

Cassell passes the ball in Game 4 of the 2008 NBA Playoffs against the Atlanta Hawks.

Sam Cassell became a free agent in March 2008. He decided to sign with the Boston Celtics for the rest of the season. In Boston, Cassell joined his former teammates Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen.

On March 17, 2008, Cassell had a great game against the San Antonio Spurs. He helped the Celtics come back from being down by 22 points to win by 2 points. He scored 17 points and made a key shot late in the game.

Cassell, along with other players like Eddie House and James Posey, gave the Celtics one of the best benches in the NBA that season. They helped the Celtics finish with the best record in the NBA (66 wins and 16 losses). This led them to the NBA Finals. The Celtics defeated the Lakers 4–2. The Celtics' bench players outscored the Lakers' bench in five of the six games. This win gave Sam Cassell his third championship. This was also the last game he ever played.

During the 2008–09 season, Cassell acted as an unofficial assistant coach for Doc Rivers. He did not play in any games but was still officially listed as a player. In February 2009, Cassell was traded to the Sacramento Kings for salary reasons. The Kings waived him one day later. Cassell decided to sit out the rest of the season and announced his retirement in May 2009.

Coaching Career

Washington Wizards (2009–2014)

On May 21, 2009, Sam Cassell became an assistant coach for the Washington Wizards. He joined Flip Saunders, who was his coach in Minnesota. John Wall, who was drafted first by the Wizards in 2010, has said that Cassell helped him become one of the NBA's top point guards. Cassell also helped the Wizards reach the Eastern Conference semi-finals in 2014. This was their first playoff series win since 2005.

Los Angeles Clippers (2014–2020)

After five seasons with the Wizards, Cassell was hired by the Los Angeles Clippers on September 29, 2014. He joined Doc Rivers' coaching staff as an assistant coach.

Philadelphia 76ers (2020–2023)

On November 9, 2020, the Philadelphia 76ers hired Cassell as an assistant coach. He again worked under Doc Rivers.

Boston Celtics (2023–present)

On June 4, 2023, the Boston Celtics hired Cassell as an assistant coach under Joe Mazzulla. Cassell won his fourth NBA championship when the Celtics beat the Dallas Mavericks in 5 games in the 2024 NBA Finals. This was Cassell's first championship as a coach.

Media Appearances

Sam Cassell appeared on TNT's NBA Fundamentals series. In this show, basketball players explain different parts of the game. He was chosen to show the "mid-range game." This means shooting from areas like around the free throw line, the paint, and the sides of the court. In his segment, Cassell explained how to post up against smaller guards, shoot pull-up jump shots, and make buzzer beaters (shots made just as time runs out). He looked up to retired NBA players Terrell Brandon and Jeff Hornacek, who were also great mid-range shooters.

Personal Life

Sam Cassell's son, Sam Cassell Jr., played college basketball for Iona College. Sam Jr. also earned degrees from Chipola College and the University of Connecticut. In 2017, Sam Cassell Jr. played for the Summer League team of the Cleveland Cavaliers.

NBA Career Statistics

Here are Sam Cassell's statistics from his time playing in the NBA.

Regular season

Playoffs