Cotton Fitzsimmons
Cotton Fitzsimmons (1931-2004)
Teams coached: Kansas State Wildcats, Phoenix Suns, Atlanta Hawks, Buffalo Braves, Kansas City Kings, San Antonio Spurs
Kansas State record: 34-20 (.630)
Overall record^: 34-20 (.630)
Career Accomplishments:
- NCAA National Championships: 0
- NCAA Tournament Appearances: 1 (1970)
- NCAA Tournament Sweet Sixteen: 1 (1970)
- NCAA Tournament Final Four: 0
- NIT Championships: 0
- NIT Appearances: 0
- Big Eight Regular Season Champion: 1 (1970)
- NJCAA National Championships: 2 (1966, 1967)
Awards:
- Big Eight Coach of the Year: 1 (1970)
- NBA Coach of the Year: 2 (1979, 1989)
Coaching Career (head coach, unless noted):
| 1996-1997 | Phoenix Suns |
| 1988-1992 | Phoenix Suns |
| 1984-1986 | San Antonio Spurs |
| 1978-1984 | Kansas City Kings |
| 1977-1978 | Buffalo Braves |
| 1972-1976 | Atlanta Hawks |
| 1970-1972 | Phoenix Suns |
| 1968-1970 | Kansas State |
| 1967-1968 | Kansas State (asst) |
| 1958-1967 | Moberly JC |
Cotton Fitzsimmons Facts
- Lowell Fitzsimmons
- Born October 7, 1931
- Died July 24, 2004
- Hometown: Bowling Green, Missouri
- Alma Mater: Midwestern State University (BA, 1956 & MA, 1958)
- Graduated from Bowling Green HS (MO) and then attended Hannibal-LaGrange University in Hannibal, MO
- Finished his playing career at Midwestern State in Wichita Falls, TX, earning two degrees from the school
- Started his coaching career at Moberly JC (MO), going 223-59 in nine seasons as head coach
- Won back-to-back NJCAA National Championships to finish his tenure (1966 & 1967)
- Later inducted into the NJCAA Basketball Coaches Association HOF (c/o 1985)
- Now Moberly Area CC, the school built “Fitzsimmons-John Arena” in 1998, honoring him and predecessor Maury John
- Hired in 1967 to be an assistant under Tex Winter at Kansas State, then became the head coach in 1968
- Went 34-20 in two seasons at the helm, winning the Big Eight title in 1970 and earning conference COY
- Left K-State in 1970 to pursue opportunities with professional basketball teams
- Coached five different franchises over the next three decades: the Phoenix Suns (three separate stints), Atlanta Hawks, Buffalo Braves, Kansas City Kings and San Antonio Spurs
- Amassed a 832-775 record in 1,607 games as an NBA head coach, spread over 21 different seasons
- Reached the NBA Playoffs 12 times, including three trips to the Western Conference Finals
- Inducted into the Phoenix Suns’ Ring of Honor (2005) and the Arizona Sports HOF (2015)
- Has the number “832” retired in his honor by the Phoenix Suns, in recognition of his NBA coaching career
- Retired in 1997 with eighth most career wins of any NBA head coach (has since been passed by several coaches)
- Also inducted into the Missouri Sports HOF (c/o 1981) and Midwestern State Hall of Honor (c/o 2004)
- Passed away at age 72 in 2004 after battling brain cancer; survived by his wife, JoAnn, and their son, Gary
Cotton Fitzsimmons Coaching Tree
- Leon Douglas (Miles College, Tuskegee, Stillman)
- Armen Gilliam (Penn State Altoona, Penn State McKeesport)
- Frank Hamblin (Los Angeles Lakers, Chicago Bulls)
- Clem Haskins (Minnesota, Western Kentucky)
- Jeff Hornacek (New York Knicks, Phoenix Suns)
- Lionel Hollins (Brooklyn Nets, Memphis/Vancouver Grizzlies)
- Marc Iavaroni (Memphis Grizzlies)
- Bob Kauffman (Detroit Pistons)
- Dan Majerle (Grand Canyon)
- Danny Manning (Maryland, Wake Forest, Tulsa)
- Bob Nash (Hawaii)
- Kurt Rambis (New York Knicks, Minnesota Timberwolves, Los Angeles Lakers)
- Scotty Robertson (Detroit Pistons)
- Paul Silas (Charlotte Bobcats/New Orleans Hornets, Cleveland Cavaliers, San Diego Clippers)
- Paul Westphal (Sacramento Kings, Pepperdine, Seattle SuperSonics, Phoenix Suns)
- John Wetzel (Phoenix Suns)
- Mike Woodson (Indiana, New York Knicks, Atlanta Hawks)
^ overall record includes head coaching positions at the NCAA Division I level only