Paul Silas
Two-time NBA All-Star and three-time NBA champion who later coached the Charlotte Hornets and Cleveland Cavaliers.
Paul Theron Silas (July 12, 1943 – December 10, 2022) was an American professional basketball player and head coach in the National Basketball Association (NBA). As a player, he was a two-time NBA All-Star and earned five selections to the NBA All-Defensive Team, including twice on the first team. He won three NBA championships: two with the Boston Celtics and one with the Seattle SuperSonics. Silas averaged 12.1 rebounds per game during his tenure with the Phoenix Suns, but he is not the franchise leader in that category.
- Role
- Head Coach / Hall of Fame Contributor
- Affiliation
- Charlotte Hornets (NBA)
- Coaching Era
- 2003-2005
- Playing Career Teams
- Celtics, Suns, Pacers, SuperSonics, Rockets
- Hall of Fame Year
- 2017
- Status
- Retired
Lore & Background
Silas attended McClymonds High School, where he was named California Mr. Basketball and a second-team Parade All-American as a senior. He played college basketball for the Creighton Bluejays, earning second-team All-American honors as a senior in 1964. He was selected in the second round of the 1964 NBA draft, and played 16 seasons in the league. After his playing career, Silas was a head coach for 12 seasons.
In Their Own Story
The arena lights hummed overhead as practice wound down late in the evening. Silas stood near the baseline, clipboard tucked under his arm, watching a drill repeat for the tenth time. He didn't yell; he simply pointed to the floor where a player had failed to set a proper screen. 'Again,' he said quietly, his voice carrying across the empty court. The players reset immediately. They knew that in this building, effort was currency, and Silas demanded they pay the price.
Reader's Guide
Silas was head coach of the Charlotte Hornets from 1999 to 2003, compiling a 208–155 record and taking the team to the playoffs each season, including two Eastern Conference Semifinals appearances. He was fired on May 4, 2003. He later coached the Cleveland Cavaliers from 2003 to 2005, and the Charlotte Bobcats as interim head coach from December 22, 2010, through the 2011–12 season.
Did You Know?
- Silas set an NCAA record for the most rebounds in a three-year career and was the Division I rebounding leader for the 1962–63 season with 20.6 rebounds per game.
- He was voted into the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame in 2017.
- Silas is one of 31 players to have averaged 10 points and 10 rebounds in the same season on eight occasions.
- His son, Stephen, joined the Charlotte Hornets coaching staff in 2000, while Paul Silas was an assistant coach with the New Jersey Nets.
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