Jim Lynam

Jim Lynam
Jim Lynam
Born	September 15, 1941 (age 85); Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Occupation(s)	Basketball coach, basketball executive, broadcaster
Years active	1964–2011 (coaching and executive)
Known for	Head coach of Philadelphia 76ers, San Diego / Los Angeles Clippers, Washington Bullets; general manager of Philadelphia 76ers

James Francis Lynam (born September 15, 1941) is a retired American basketball coach with experience at both collegiate and professional levels. His head coaching tenure included stints at Fairfield University (1968–1970), American University (1973–1978), and St. Joseph's University (1978–1981). In the National Basketball Association (NBA), Lynam served as head coach for the San Diego / Los Angeles Clippers (1983–1985), Philadelphia 76ers (1987–1992), and Washington Bullets (1995–1997). Over his college coaching career, he compiled a 158–118 record, while his NBA coaching record stood at 328–392. Additionally, he held the position of general manager for Philadelphia from 1992 until 1994.

Playing career

Lynam graduated from West Catholic High School before enrolling at Saint Joseph's University, where he was a three-year starter for the Hawks. In 1961, he played an instrumental role in guiding the Hawks to the Final Four, ultimately finishing third after a four-overtime victory against Utah. Following the suspension of Jack Egan amid a gambling scandal, Lynam was named team MVP. He continued to contribute to Saint Joseph’s through 1963 and earned Big 5 MVP honors during his senior year.

Coaching career

Lynam initiated his coaching career at Lansdale Catholic High School during the 1964–65 season before taking over as head coach of the Fairfield Stags men's basketball squad in 1968 for two seasons. He then accepted the head coaching role at American University in 1973, leading the Eagles to the finals of the 1975 East Coast Conference tournament.

Returning to his alma mater in 1978, Lynam captured the ECC Tournament title in the 1980–81 season, earning an NCAA tournament berth. The Hawks advanced to the Elite Eight after upsetting top-seeded DePaul.

In May 1981, Lynam transitioned to the NBA as an assistant coach with the Portland Trail Blazers, reuniting with head coach Jack Ramsay. During his time there, Portland secured its first playoff series victory since winning the championship in 1977. After two seasons, he was appointed head coach of the San Diego Clippers in 1983. His tenure was marked by challenges including injuries to key player Bill Walton and ownership controversies under Donald Sterling, who controversially relocated the franchise to Los Angeles. Lynam was also involved in scouting and drafting Manute Bol; however, Bol was later declared ineligible, nullifying that selection. Following a difficult period spanning both San Diego and Los Angeles, Lynam was dismissed midway through his second season.

After leaving the Clippers, Lynam joined retiring Sixers coach Billy Cunningham as an assistant prior to the 1985–86 season. His effective communication earned commendations from players such as All-Star point guard Maurice Cheeks. He assumed head coaching duties for the Philadelphia 76ers midway through the 1987–88 campaign. Despite losing stars Julius Erving and Moses Malone, Lynam guided Philadelphia back into playoff contention and secured an Atlantic Division championship in his second full year. Nonetheless, their postseason efforts were halted by Michael Jordan’s Chicago Bulls.

The Sixers’ performance declined during the 1991–92 season due to injuries, resulting in a 35–47 record and missing the playoffs. Owner Harold Katz faced criticism over roster decisions that contributed to this downturn and subsequently reduced his involvement in team operations, promoting Lynam from head coach to general manager. As GM, Lynam hired Doug Moe as head coach and served in that executive capacity for two years before accepting the head coaching position with the Washington Bullets ahead of the 1994–95 season. He was relieved of his duties in February 1997.

Subsequently, Lynam joined John Calipari’s coaching staff with the New Jersey Nets before reuniting with Maurice Cheeks on Portland Trail Blazers’ staff in 2001. When Cheeks returned as Philadelphia’s head coach for the 2005–06 season, Lynam resumed his role as assistant but briefly stepped away due to health reasons; he returned alongside NBA Hall of Famer Moses Malone in September 2006.

In July 2010, Lynam was considered for an assistant coaching position with Portland and remained on staff until year-end. The Minnesota Timberwolves engaged him as a part-time consultant for basketball operations during the 2010–11 season, focusing on evaluating professional talent across the league.

After retiring from coaching and front-office roles in 2011, Lynam transitioned into broadcasting as a pre- and post-game analyst for the Philadelphia 76ers on NBC Sports Philadelphia, drawing upon his extensive coaching background and comprehensive understanding of NBA teams and players.

Personal

Lynam's daughter, Dei, previously worked as an anchor and reporter for NBC Sports Philadelphia, where she covered the Sixers and acted as a sideline reporter for TNT's NBA Playoffs from 2010 to 2015. Currently, she serves as a play-by-play announcer for the 76ers' G-League team, the Delaware Blue Coats. Additionally, Lynam is a grandfather to ten grandchildren and is well-known for his distinctive Philadelphia accent.

NBA

Team	Season	G	W	L	Win%	Division Rank	Playoff G	W	L	Playoff Win%	Outcome
San Diego	1983	82	30	52	.366	6th in Pacific Division	—	—	—	—	Did not qualify for playoffs
LA Clippers	1984	61	22	39	.361	(dismissed)	—	—	—	—	—
Philadelphia	1987	39	16	23	.410	4th in Atlantic Division	—	—	—	—	Did not reach playoffs
Philadelphia	1988	82	46	36	.561	2nd in Atlantic Division	3	0	3	.000	Eliminated in first round
Philadelphia	1989	82	53	29	.646	1st in Atlantic Division	10	4	6	.400	Exited in Conference Semifinals
Philadelphia	1990	82	44	38	.537	2nd in Atlantic Division	8	4	4	.500	Eliminated in Conference Semifinals
Philadelphia	1991	82	35	47	.427	5th in Atlantic Division	—	—	—	—	Did not qualify for playoffs
Washington	1994	82	21	61	.256	7th in Atlantic Division	—	—	—	—	Missed playoffs
Washington	1995	82	39	43	.476	4th in Atlantic Division	—	—	—	—	Did not make playoffs
Washington	1996	46	22	24	.478	(dismissed)	—	—	—	—

|-class="sortbottom" ! Career !! !!720!!328!!392!!.456!! !!21!!8!!13!!.381!!

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