Bill Berry

Bill Berry (born 1942)

Teams coached: San José State Spartans
San José record: 142-144 (.497)
Overall record: 142-144 (.497)

Career Accomplishments:

  • NCAA National Championships:  0
  • NCAA Tournament Appearances:  1  (1980)
  • NCAA Tournament Sweet Sixteen:  0
  • NIT Championships:  0
  • NIT Appearances:  1  (1981)
  • PCAA Tournament Champion:  3  (1980)

Awards:

Coaching Career (head coach, unless noted):

2006-2007 Washington Wizards (asst)
1999-2003 Chicago Bulls (asst)
2001 Chicago Bulls (interim HC)
1991-1999 Houston Rockets (scout/asst)
1989-1991 Sacramento Kings (scout/asst)
1979-1989 San José State
1977-1979 Michigan State (asst)
1972-1977 California (asst)

Bill Berry Facts

  • William Edward Berry
  • Born 1942
  • Hometown: Winnemucca, Nevada
  • Alma Mater: Michigan State University (BA, 1965 & MA, 1969)
  • Graduated from Humboldt County HS (NV) and then played for Forddy Anderson at Michigan State
  • Started his coaching career in California with stints at Highlands HS (1966-69) and Cosumnes River JC (1970-72)
  • Joined Dick Edwards‘ staff at Cal in 1972, working with the Golden Bears for five seasons
  • Returned to his alma mater Michigan State in 1977, spending two seasons on Hall of Fame coach Jud Heathcote‘s staff
    • Was part of the 1978-79 team that won the NCAA Championship behind star player Magic Johnson
  • Hired in 1979 to be the head coach at San José State; went 142-144 overall in ten seasons at the helm
    • Won the 1980 PCAA Tournament champion to get an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament in his first season, and the following year finished 2nd in the PCAA (now Big West) and got invited to the NIT
    • Finished above .500 just three times in the next seven years; Berry was let go in 1989 amidst issues between he and the players, many of whom had walked out on the team
  • Spent the rest of his career working in the NBA, first as a scout and later assistant coach with the Sacramento Kings (for head coaches Jerry Reynolds and Dick Motta
    • Worked in that same capacity for Rudy Tomjanovich in Houston for eight years, including the 1994 and 1995 NBA Championship seasons
    • Became an assistant coach with the Chicago Bulls in 1999, working with the franchise for four seasons under head coaches Tim Floyd and Bill Cartwright; served as interim head coach briefly in 2001, going 0-2 at the helm
    • After several years away, Berry spent the 2006-07 season as an assistant with the Wizards under Eddie Jordan

Bill Berry Coaching Tree

 

^ overall record includes head coaching positions at the NCAA Division I level only