August 5, 2015 Program: Eric Musselman, University of Nevada Men's Basketball Head Coach
Eric Musselman was named the 18th coach at the University of Nevada on March 26, 2015. Musselman signed a five-year contract that runs through the 2019-20 season.
Nevada is Musselman's first collegiate head coaching position but he was head coach for seven professional teams, including two seasons with the Golden State Warriors (2002-04) and one with the Sacramento Kings (2006-07). He has won more than 500 games as a head coach with an overall winning percentage of .625 (566-340).
The 50-year old Musselman spent the past three seasons as an assistant coach at power five schools Arizona State and LSU. In 2013 the Sun Devils advanced to the second round of the NIT and earned a trip to the NCAA Tournament in 2014. The 2015 Tiger squad also advanced to the NCAA Tournament.
The 2013 ASU squad improved by 12 wins and advanced to postseason play for the first time in three years. He was promoted to associate head coach prior to the 2013-14 season.
While at ASU Musselman coached 2013 second-round NBA selection Carrick Felix, 2012-13 Pac-12 co-Freshman of the Year Jahii Carson and Jordan Bachynski who led the nation in blocks in 2013-14.
In his season at LSU he coached two first-team All-SEC selections in Jarrell Martin and Jordan Mickey. Mickey was also selected to the SEC All-Defensive team.
Musselman returns to Reno where he spent the 2010-11 season coaching the NBA D-Leagues Bighorns and led them to the only Western Conference title in franchise history.
The Ashland, Ohio native is one of nine former NBA head coaches working in NCAA basketball. He joins John Calipari (Kentucky), Rick Pitino (Louisville), Larry Brown (SMU), Lon Kruger (Oklahoma), Larry Krystkowiak (Utah), Eddie Jordan (Rutgers), Mike Dunlap (LMU) and Reggie Theus (Cal State Northridge) as former NBA head coaches that are current college head coaches.
His father, Bill was also an NBA head coach and they were the first father-son combination to become coaches in the NBA. Bill coached the Reno Bighorns of the CBA in 1978-79.
His first head coaching job came at the age of 23, when he was hired by the Rapid City Thrillers of the Continental Basketball Association in 1989. He was the youngest coach in CBA history and the fastest to win 100 games.
Musselman served as a head coach in the CBA, the United States Basketball League (USBL) and the NBADL along with the two NBA head coaching stops. His teams collected six division titles and advance to postseason all seven hears. He coached 24 players that went on to play in the NBA. Five times he was named CBA all-star coach.
He led the USBL Florida Sharks to a 53-3 record in two seasons and a league championship which earned him USBL Coach of the Year honors.
After working as an assistant under Doc Rivers and Hall of Fame coach Chuck Daly, he was named the head coach of the Golden State Warriors in 2002. He led the Warriors to 38 wins, a team-high in more than 10 years, and was runner-up in the NBA Coach of Year voting. He also coached the Warriors during 2003-04 season.
Following a year as an assistant with the Memphis Grizzlies under Mike Fratello, he coached the Sacramento Kings for the 2006-07 season.
Musselman worked as an analyst on radio and television prior to coaching the Reno Bighorns (2010-11) and LA D-Fenders (2011-12) of the NBADL. In 2012 he earned Coach of the Year honors.
While coaching the Reno Bighorns in NBADL he worked with Jeremy Lin, Danny Green and Steve Novak who were called up to the NBA. Gerald Green, Malcom Thomas, Darius Morris, Jamario Moon and Courtney Fortson earned trips to the NBA when he coached them with the D-Fenders.
Musselman has experience coaching international basketball having served as the head coach of the Dominican Republic National Team (2010-11), The US and Team China in the Adidas Global Experience (2009, 2010) and The Venezuela National Team (2011-13).
Born in Ashland he attended high school in Brecksville south of Cleveland. He attended the University of San Diego and helped the Toreros to a 24-6 record as a senior and a trip to the NCAA Tournament. USD lost in the first round to Auburn. While at USD he was named to the West Coast Conference All-Academic team three times and the Toreros played in two NCAA Tournaments.
Musselman is married to Danyelle Sargent Musselman who was has worked at ESPN, Fox Sports and on the NFL Network as a broadcaster. Musselman has two sons Michael (19) and Matthew (14) and the couple has a daughter Mariah (5).