Sam Vincent facts for kids
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | May 18, 1963 Lansing, Michigan, U.S. |
| High school | Eastern (Lansing, Michigan) |
| Listed height | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) |
| Listed weight | 185 lb (84 kg) |
| Career information | |
| College | Michigan State (1981–1985) |
| NBA Draft | 1985 / Round: 1 / Pick: 20th overall |
| Selected by the Boston Celtics | |
| Pro career | 1985–1994 |
| Coaching career | 1999–2016 |
| Career history | |
| As player: | |
| 1985–1987 | Boston Celtics |
| 1987–1988 | Seattle SuperSonics |
| 1988–1989 | Chicago Bulls |
| 1989–1992 | Orlando Magic |
| 1993–1994 | Aris |
| As coach: | |
| 1999–2000 | Gymnastikos S. Larissas |
| 2000–2001 | EiffelTowers Den Bosch |
| 2001–2003 | Mobile Revelers |
| 2005–2006 | Fort Worth Flyers |
| 2006–2007 | Dallas Mavericks (assistant) |
| 2007–2008 | Charlotte Bobcats |
| 2008–2009 | Anaheim Arsenal |
| 2014–2016 | Manama Club |
| Career highlights and awards | |
|
|
| Career NBA statistics | |
| Points | 3,106 (7.8 ppg) |
| Assists | 1,543 (3.9 apg) |
James Samuel Vincent (born May 18, 1963) is a former professional basketball player and coach from the United States. He is known for his time playing in the NBA and for coaching various teams around the world.
Sam Vincent grew up in Lansing, Michigan. In 1981, he won the "Mr. Basketball" award for Michigan, which was the first time this award was given out. While playing for Eastern High School, he once scored an amazing 61 points in a single game. This broke the city's previous record of 54 points, which was set by basketball legend Magic Johnson.
After high school, Sam Vincent went to Michigan State University, just like his older brother, Jay Vincent. He became a standout player there, earning "All-America" honors in 1985.
In 1985, the Boston Celtics picked Sam Vincent as the 20th player in the 1985 NBA draft. He played two seasons with the Celtics and helped them win an NBA Championship in 1986. After that, he played for the Seattle SuperSonics and the Chicago Bulls. In 1989, the Orlando Magic chose him in the NBA expansion draft. He finished his NBA playing career with the Magic in 1992. During his seven years in the NBA, Sam Vincent scored 3,106 points and made 1,543 assists.
After his playing career, Sam Vincent started coaching. He coached basketball in many different places, including South Africa, Greece, the Netherlands, and Nigeria. He also coached in the NBA Developmental League, where his team reached the finals twice and won once. At the 2004 Summer Olympics, he led the Nigerian women's basketball team to their first-ever Olympic victory against South Korea. This was a historic moment for African women's basketball.
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Sam Vincent's Coaching Career
Sam Vincent has had a long and varied coaching career, leading teams in many different leagues and countries.
Coaching in Professional Leagues
In the 2005–06 season, Sam Vincent coached the Fort Worth Flyers. He then led the Nigeria men's team to the second round of the 2006 FIBA World Championship. This included a surprising win against the strong team of Serbia and Montenegro. After this success, he became an assistant coach for the Dallas Mavericks.
On May 25, 2007, Sam Vincent was named the head coach of the Charlotte Bobcats in the NBA. He coached them for one season before moving on. Later, he became the head coach of the Anaheim Arsenal in the NBA Development League. He also coached several clubs in Bahrain, including Riffa, Manama, and Al-Ahli Manama.
Coaching Nigeria's National Teams
Sam Vincent has had a significant impact on Nigerian basketball. He coached the Nigerian women's national team, known as D'Tigress, at the 2004 Summer Olympics. He led them to a 68–64 victory over South Korea. This was the first time an African team had won a women's basketball game at the Olympics. In 2005, he guided the D'Tigress to win their second Afrobasket title.
Vincent returned to coach the D'Tigress in 2017. Under his leadership, the team had a perfect record at the 2017 FIBA African women's basketball tournament in Mali. They won their third Afrobasket title by defeating Senegal 65–48 in the final. This victory also qualified them for the FIBA women's basketball World Cup in Spain. However, his time as head coach ended in August 2018, just before the World Cup.
Coaching in College Basketball
In September 2022, Sam Vincent took on a new role. He became the very first head coach for both the men's and women's basketball teams at Beacon College. This is a liberal arts school located in Central Florida.
Sam Vincent's Coaching Records
Here are some of Sam Vincent's coaching records in the NBA and college basketball.
NBA Coaching Record
| Regular season | G | Games coached | W | Games won | L | Games lost | W–L % | Win–loss % |
| Playoffs | PG | Playoff games | PW | Playoff wins | PL | Playoff losses | PW–L % | Playoff win–loss % |
| Team | Year | G | W | L | W–L% | Finish | PG | PW | PL | PW–L% | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Charlotte | 2007–08 | 82 | 32 | 50 | .390 | 4th in Southeast | — | — | — | — | Missed Playoffs |
| Career | 82 | 32 | 50 | .390 | — | — | — | — |
College Coaching Record
| Season | Team | Overall | Conference | Standing | Postseason | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beacon College NaviGators (men) () (2022–2023) | |||||||||
| 2022–23 | Beacon College | 0–5 | Unaffiliated (Developmental Season) | ||||||
| Beacon College Blazers (men) () (2023–Present) | |||||||||
| 2023–24 | Beacon College | 10–6 | USCAA Division I Independent | ||||||
| Total: | 10–11 (.476) | ||||||||
|
National champion Conference regular season champion Conference tournament champion |
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See also
In Spanish: Sam Vincent para niños
