Bill Musselman
Bill Musselman (1940-2000)
Teams coached: Ashland Eagles, Minnesota Golden Gophers, Cleveland Cavaliers, Minnesota Timberwolves, South Alabama Jaguars
Ashland record^: 129-30 (.811)
Minnesota record: 68-31 (.687) **
South Alabama record: 35-22 (.614)
Overall record^: 232-83 (.737) **
Career Accomplishments:
- NCAA National Championships: 0
- NCAA Tournament Appearances: 1 (1997) **
- NCAA Tournament Sweet Sixteen: 0 **
- NIT Championships: 0
- NIT Appearances: 1 (1973)
- Sun Belt Regular Season Champion: 1 (1997)
- Big Ten Regular Season Champion: 1 (1972)
- Sun Belt Tournament Champion: 1 (1997)
- NCAA Division II Tournament Appearances: 4 (1968, 1969, 1970, 1971)
Coaching Career (head coach, unless noted):
| 1997-2000 | Portland Trail Blazers (asst) |
| 1995-1997 | South Alabama |
| 1993-1994 | Rochester Renegade |
| 1988-1991 | Minnesota Timberwolves |
| 1987-1988 | Albany Patroons |
| 1984-1987 | Tampa Bay/Rapid City Thrillers |
| 1983-1984 | Sarasota Stingers |
| 1982 | Cleveland Cavaliers |
| 1981-1982 | Cleveland Cavaliers (DPP) |
| 1980-1981 | Cleveland Cavaliers |
| 1978-1979 | Reno Bighorns |
| 1975-1976 | Virginia Squires |
| 1975 | San Diego Sails |
| 1971-1975 | Minnesota |
| 1965-1971 | Ashland |
Bill Musselman Facts
- William Clifford Musselman
- Born August 13, 1940
- Died May 5, 2000
- Hometown: Wooster, Ohio
- Alma Mater: Wittenberg College (BA, 1962)
- Played for head coach Ray Mears at Wittenberg College (now University) in Springfield, Ohio
- Started his coaching career at Kent State HS (OH), spending one year as head coach at the age of just 23
- Hired as an assistant football and basketball coach at Ashland University (OH), but was quickly elevated to head basketball coach
- Went 129-30 over six seasons at the helm at Ashland, going to (what is now) the D-II NCAA Tournament four times
- Reached the NCAA College Division (now D-II) Final Four in both 1968 and 1969
- Went 129-30 over six seasons at the helm at Ashland, going to (what is now) the D-II NCAA Tournament four times
- Left Ashland for Minnesota in 1971, coaching the Golden Gophers for the next four seasons
- Won the Big Ten title in his first year and reached the NCAA Sweet Sixteen, but the NCAA appearance was later vacated
- After Musselman left in 1975, it was found that more than 100 rule violations had been committed during his tenure
- Spent the next 20 years coaching in the professional ranks, with stints in the ABA, CBA, WBA and NBA
- Coached the Cleveland Cavaliers for parts of 2 seasons and was the first-ever head coach of the Minnesota Timberwolves
- Was CBA Coach of the Year in 1987 (with Rapid City) and 1988 (with Albany)
- Returned to the college ranks in 1995, spending two years as the head coach at South Alabama
- Swept the Sun Belt regular season and Tournament titles in 1997 to led the Jaguars into the NCAA Tournament
- Left for the NBA after the 1996-97 season, spending three years on Mike Dunleavy‘s staff with the Portland Trail Blazers
- Diagnosed with primary systemic amyloidosis in April 2000 and passed away the following month at the age of 59
- Survived by two sons and one daughter
- One son, Eric Musselman, has been a head coach at the CBA, NBA and NCAA levels (currently at Arkansas)
Bill Musselman Coaching Tree
- Randy Ayers (Philadelphia 76ers, Ohio State)
- Scott Brooks (Washington Wizards, Oklahoma City Thunder)
- Tyrone Corbin (Sacramento Kings, Utah Jazz)
- Bill Laimbeer (Las Vegas Aces, New York Liberty, Detroit Shock)
- Sidney Lowe (NC State, Vancouver/Memphis Grizzlies, Minnesota Timberwolves)
- Sam Mitchell (Minnesota Timberwolves, Toronto Raptors)
- Tod Murphy (Gordon College)
- Eric Musselman (Arkansas, Nevada, Sacramento Kings, Golden State Warriors)
- Scott Roth (Iowa Wolves, Bakersfield Jam)
- Flip Saunders (Minnesota Timberwolves, Washington Wizards, Detroit Pistons
- Tom Thibodeau (New York Knicks, Minnesota Timberwolves, Chicago Bulls)
- Joby Wright (Wyoming, Miami OH)
^ overall record includes head coaching positions at the NCAA Division I and Division II levels only
** Listed records and accomplishments for this coach do not include wins or appearances later vacated by the NCAA
