Tyronn Lue

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Lue graduated from Raytown Senior High School in Raytown, Missouri. He later attended the University of Nebraska–Lincoln, where he played basketball and studied sociology. Lue was a key member of the 1995–96 team that won the 1996 National Invitation Tournament, defeating Saint Joseph's University in the finals. He finished his Cornhuskers career ranked third all-time in assists (432), fourth in three-pointers made (145) and attempted (407), fifth in steals (154) and seventh in scoring (1,577). Lue led Nebraska in assists in each of his three seasons and finished his career tied with Dave Hoppen for most games with 30 or more points (7). He declared for the NBA draft after his junior season. Lue opted for early entry into the 1998 NBA draft. He was selected 23rd overall by the Denver Nuggets but was traded on draft night to the Los Angeles Lakers with Tony Battie for Nick Van Exel. His first three years with the Lakers were disappointing. His playing time was limited and he suffered from injuries in 2000. Lue came off the bench and was assigned to guard Allen Iverson during Game 1 of the Finals. Iverson finished with 48 points in 53 minutes in the Sixers 107-101 overtime win. Lue finished with 5 points in 22 minutes. In a memorable moment, Iverson executed a crossover and made a shot in front of Lue, then stepped over him. Although the 76ers won Game 1, the Lakers won the next four and the NBA championship; Lue appeared in each NBA Finals game. Lue scored 13 points in 51 minutes the rest of the series. He won his second consecutive NBA Championship with the Lakers, but this marked the end of his run with the team. In the off-season of 2001, Lue signed with the Washington Wizards, where he got considerably more playing time and became a better point guard. Lue played with the Orlando Magic in 2003–04 and had a lot of minutes alongside Tracy McGrady, but the team had the worst record in the NBA that season: 21–61. After the season, Lue, McGrady, Juwan Howard, and Reece Gaines were traded to the Houston Rockets for Steve Francis, Cuttino Mobley, and Kelvin Cato. In Houston, Lue's playing time decreased due to the overabundance of point guards. Lue was traded mid-season to the Atlanta Hawks for Jon Barry. Lue starred in Atlanta, although again his team had the worst record in the NBA and their worst record in franchise history: 13–69. On August 30, 2005, Lue re-

In Their Own Story

The 2016–17 season saw Lue guide the Cavaliers to a 51–31 regular-season record. The team entered the playoffs with dominant momentum, posting a 12–1 record before reaching the NBA Finals. However, they ultimately lost to the Golden State Warriors in five games. After the season, Kyrie Irving was traded to the Boston Celtics, ending the franchise's superteam era. In 2018, Lue took a leave of absence on March 19 due to recurrent chest pain but returned before the regular season concluded. He led the team to their fourth consecutive NBA Finals appearance, where they lost to the Warriors in four games. With LeBron James departing for the Los Angeles Lakers and an aging roster remaining, the Cavaliers started the 2018–19 season with a 0–6 record. On October 28, 2018, the organization fired Lue.

Reader's Guide

On October 23, 2009, the Boston Celtics named Lue director of basketball development. He became an assistant on Celtics' head coach Doc Rivers' staff in 2011–12. In July 2013, Lue joined the Los Angeles Clippers' coaching staff. On June 23, 2014, Lue joined the Cleveland Cavaliers as associate head coach, becoming the highest-paid assistant coach in the NBA. Lue had been a top candidate for the Cavaliers' head coaching job, which eventually went to David Blatt. On January 22, 2016, Lue was named head coach of the Cavaliers immediately following the mid-season firing of Blatt. He was signed to a three-year contract. Lue coached the Cavaliers to an NBA championship that spring. In May, the Cavaliers defeated the Toronto Raptors in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference finals, continuing their unbeaten streak in the 2016 playoffs and making Lue the first coach in NBA history to win his first 10 postseason games. Eight days later, Lue led the Cavaliers to the NBA Finals, becoming one of the few coaches to reach the Finals after becoming head coach in midseason. On June 19, 2016, the Cavaliers won their first NBA championship. Lue became the second rookie head coach in two years to win the title, the third head coach (along with Paul Westhead in 1979–80 and Pat Riley in 1981–82) to win a championship after becoming head coach in midseason, and the 14th person to have won an NBA championship as a head coach and as a player. Lue's coaching style in Cleveland relied on flexibility and LeBron James's consistency; he shuffled players around James to adjust to matchups. In 2016, his Finals team followed the Warriors' own blueprint to beat them. According to one writer, Lue's teams could look undisciplined and unprepared in the regular season, but in the playoffs, he was praised for his ability to 'think several moves ahead and create matchup advantages'. At the 2016 ESPY Awards, Lue was named Best Coach/Manager, and the Cavaliers were named Best Team. In the 2016–17 NBA season, Lue coached the Cavaliers to a 51–31 record. In the playoffs, the Cavaliers went 12–1 heading into the 2017 NBA Finals before losing to the Golden State Warriors in five games. After the season concluded, Kyrie Irving, who had been with the Cavaliers since the 2010–2011 season, was traded to the Boston Celtics per his request. This trade ended the superteam era of the Cavaliers. On March 19, 2018, Lu

Did You Know?

• Lue was the first coach in NBA history to win his first 10 postseason games.
• Lue is one of only three head coaches to win an NBA championship after becoming head coach in midseason.
• Lue is the 14th person to have won an NBA championship as a head coach and as a player.
• Lue led the Clippers to their first conference finals appearance in franchise history.