P.J. Carlesimo

Lore & Background

Carlesimo served as the head coach of four NBA teams, the interim head coach of another NBA team, and was named Seton Hall University's 'Coach of the Century'. He was an assistant coach for the United States men's Olympic basketball team ('The Dream Team') that won the gold medal at the 1992 Summer Olympics. He was also an assistant coach for the San Antonio Spurs team that won three championships between 2003 and 2007.

Reader's Guide

Carlesimo coached Seton Hall University from 1982 to 1994, leading the turnaround of a struggling program. The Pirates made their first ever NCAA tournament in 1988, and Carlesimo was named the Big East Conference coach of the year. In 1989, Carlesimo led the Pirates to their first-ever Final Four appearance following a 78–65 upset over the #2 seed Indiana Hoosiers coached by Bobby Knight. They advanced to the NCAA Championship game against the Michigan Wolverines, but lost in overtime 80–79.

Carlesimo was again named Big East coach of the year, following the 1989 season. During Carlesimo's tenure the Pirates went to the NCAA tournament six times, four of them consecutively from 1991 until 1994. After a 6–23 record in his first season, he turned the team into a consistent title contender and eventual tournament runner-up and number one seed. Compiling an overall record of 212–166, he was named Seton Hall's 'Coach of the Century'.

Carlesimo was an assistant coach under Mike Krzyzewski with the U.S. national team in the 1990 FIBA World Championship, winning the bronze medal. He also was an assistant coach on the 1992 Olympic 'Dream Team', winning a gold medal. On June 23, 1994, Carlesimo was hired as head coach of the Portland Trail Blazers. Midway into his first season with the team, the team traded long-time Blazer Clyde Drexler in an effort to rebuild.

However instead of falling in the standings, Carlesimo led the team to a winning record and the playoffs in his first season as an NBA head coach. He led the Blazers to the playoffs in each of his three years as their head coach, but was unable to lead the team out of the first round of the playoffs and was fired following the 1996–97 season. In 1997, Carlesimo headed to the Golden State Warriors, again succeeding Rick Adelman as head coach. He coached that team until December 1999, at which point he was fired after his team got off to a losing start for the third straight year.

During a practice during the 1997–98 season while Carlesimo was head coach of the Warriors, he was attacked by Latrell Sprewell. Sprewell choked Carlesimo for nearly 15 seconds until he was pulled off by other coaches and staff; Sprewell elbowed him several minutes later. The Warriors terminated Sprewell's contract, and the NBA suspended him for a year.

Did You Know?

• Carlesimo is a 1971 graduate of Fordham University, where he played basketball under coach Digger Phelps.
• He began his coaching career as an assistant at Fordham after he graduated.
• Carlesimo also had a successful coaching stint at Wagner College of Staten Island, New York, a Division I school, leading the team to one NIT berth in six years as coach from 1976 to 1982.
• He spent time coaching in Puerto Rico during the summers.