Morris McHone
Morris McHone | |
|---|---|
| Born | June 17, 1943 Marion, North Carolina, U.S. |
| Occupation | Basketball coach |
| Years active | 1963–2012 |
| Known for | Head coach of the San Antonio Spurs (1983), assistant coach in the NBA, multiple CBA championships, head coach of the United States men's national basketball team |
Morris Daniel "Mo" McHone (born June 17, 1943) is a retired American professional basketball coach. He held the position of head coach for the San Antonio Spurs in the National Basketball Association (NBA) during 1983 and worked as an assistant coach with the Cleveland Cavaliers, Detroit Pistons, and Los Angeles Clippers. Additionally, McHone has coaching experience in both the Continental Basketball Association (CBA) and the NBA Development League.
Early life and playing career
Born to parents employed in the textile industry in Marion, North Carolina, McHone completed his high school education at Marion High School. He then attended an open tryout for basketball at Wingate College (now Wingate University), drawn by its connection to the Baptist State Convention of North Carolina. Although he impressed head coach Bill Connell enough to join the squad, McHone saw limited action on the court and ultimately did not receive the scholarship that had been promised.
College
McHone’s coaching journey began as a student manager for the Florida State Seminoles during the 1963–64 season. With head coach J. K. Kennedy sidelined due to illness, assistant coach Hugh Durham assigned McHone to scout opponents, a role McHone regarded as akin to that of an honorary assistant. During this time, he recommended recruiting his former Wingate teammate, Mike Martin, who went on to become Florida State’s head baseball coach for four decades.
After earning his degree from Florida State University, McHone spent three years coaching varsity high school basketball in Florida. Durham later invited him back to Florida State as an assistant coach in 1969. In 1978, McHone recruited Sleepy Floyd, but Floyd altered his commitment after Durham departed for the Georgia Bulldogs. McHone followed Durham to Georgia, where they successfully recruited future star Dominique Wilkins.
National Basketball Association (NBA)
In 1979, McHone entered the NBA coaching ranks as an assistant with the Cleveland Cavaliers, joining new head coach Stan Albeck, who valued his collegiate coaching background. After one season, McHone accompanied Albeck to the San Antonio Spurs. When Albeck left for the New Jersey Nets in 1983, McHone was elevated to head coach of the Spurs. Managing a veteran squad led by stars like George Gervin and Artis Gilmore, he felt underprepared for the responsibility; after compiling an 11–20 record, he was relieved of his duties on December 28, 1983.
McHone returned to the Cavaliers as an assistant coach under head coach George Karl on September 5, 1984, resigning in February 1986. Subsequently, he reunited with Albeck at the Bradley Braves, serving from 1986 until 1991.
Later in his career, McHone held assistant coaching positions with the Detroit Pistons (1999–2001) and the Los Angeles Clippers (2001–2003).
Continental Basketball Association (CBA) and NBA Development League
Within the Continental Basketball Association (CBA), McHone achieved two championship titles while coaching several teams: the Birmingham Bandits (1991–92), Fort Wayne Fury (1992–93), Yakima Sun Kings (1993–95), and Sioux Falls Skyforce (1995–99). He later returned as head coach of the Skyforce during two stints in the NBA Development League spanning 2006–07 and 2010–12. Holding the franchise record for most wins with 195 victories, McHone was honored with induction into the Skyforce Hall of Fame in 2016. His CBA championships include titles with the Sun Kings in 1995 and with the Skyforce in 1996.
Between these coaching periods with Sioux Falls, McHone served as Director of Basketball Development for the NBA Development League’s Austin Toros.
National team
McHone has served as the head coach for the United States men's national basketball team on several occasions.
Head coaching record
|- | style="text-align:left;"|San Antonio | style="text-align:left;"| | 31||11||20|||| style="text-align:center;"|(dismissed)||—||—||—||— | style="text-align:center;"|Did not qualify for playoffs
Source
External links
- 1943 births
- Living people
- American men's basketball coaches
- American men's basketball players
- Bradley Braves men's basketball coaches
- Cleveland Cavaliers assistant coaches
- Continental Basketball Association coaches
- Detroit Pistons assistant coaches
- Florida State Seminoles men's basketball coaches
- Florida State University alumni
- Georgia Bulldogs basketball coaches
- Junior college men's basketball players in the United States
- Los Angeles Clippers assistant coaches
- New Jersey Nets assistant coaches
- San Antonio Spurs assistant coaches
- San Antonio Spurs head coaches
- Sioux Falls Skyforce coaches
- United States men's national basketball team coaches
- 20th-century American sportsmen