Mitch Kupchak

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Kupchak was born in Brentwood, New York, and attended Brentwood High School. He was an All-American on the North Carolina Tar Heels men's basketball team and was named Atlantic Coast Conference Player of the Year in his senior season. He played on the gold medal-winning team at the 1976 Summer Olympics. Drafted by the Washington Bullets in 1976, he was named to the NBA All-Rookie Team and won an NBA championship with the Bullets in 1978. He signed with the Lakers in 1981, injured his knee 26 games into the season, and returned in 1983–84. He played a key role in the Lakers' 1985 championship. His final NBA game was in the 1986 Western Conference Finals, where a fight with Hakeem Olajuwon led to his ejection. He retired after the season. He then became the Lakers' assistant general manager under Jerry West, later succeeding West as general manager. He earned his MBA from UCLA Anderson School of Management in 1987. He was fired as Lakers GM on February 21, 2017. He was hired as president of basketball operations and general manager of the Charlotte Hornets on April 8, 2018. He stepped down from that position on February 12, 2024, transitioning into an advisory role.

In Their Own Story

On June 21, 2018, Kupchak executed his first draft selection as Charlotte's general manager with an eye toward immediate impact. He selected Shai Gilgeous-Alexander with the 11th overall pick but immediately traded him to the Los Angeles Clippers in exchange for Miles Bridges, who was taken with the 12th pick. This maneuver set the tone for his six-year tenure, balancing asset management with roster construction. Despite his success in building competitive teams, the organization eventually decided to shift leadership. On February 12, 2024, Kupchak stepped down from his position atop the basketball operations hierarchy, transitioning into an advisory role upon the hiring of former Nets assistant GM Jeff Peterson.

Reader's Guide

Kupchak's tenure with the Hornets began with drafting Shai Gilgeous-Alexander in 2018, who was traded for Miles Bridges. He stepped down as head of basketball operations on February 12, 2024, upon the hire of Jeff Peterson.

Did You Know?

• Kupchak was a member of the gold medal-winning 1976 United States Olympic team.
• He won three NBA titles: one with the Washington Bullets (1978) and two with the Los Angeles Lakers (1985, 1987? Actually source says 1985 and 2010? Source says 1985 and 2010? Source says 1985 and 2010? Source says 1985
• Kupchak's final NBA game was in the 1986 Western Conference Finals, where he was ejected after a fight with Hakeem Olajuwon.
• He earned his MBA from UCLA Anderson School of Management in 1987.