Phil Pressey

Phil Pressey
Phil Pressey
Born	February 17, 1991 (age 35); United States
Occupation(s)	Basketball coach, former player
Years active	2010–present
Known for	Head coach of the Maine Celtics; former NBA point guard

Adapted from the English Wikipedia article Phil Pressey, available under CC BY-SA 4.0Updated 28 November 2025

Phillip Michael Pressey (born February 17, 1991) is an American professional basketball coach and former point guard, currently serving as the head coach for the Maine Celtics in the NBA G League.

During his playing career, Pressey competed with several NBA teams including the Boston Celtics, Philadelphia 76ers, and Phoenix Suns. He also spent time in the NBA Development League with the Maine Red Claws, Idaho Stampede, and Santa Cruz Warriors. On the international stage, he represented well-known clubs such as FC Barcelona Lassa and Movistar Estudiantes. His collegiate basketball tenure was with the Missouri Tigers.

In the 2012–13 season as a junior, Pressey led the 2011–12 Big 12 Conference in assists, steals, and assist-to-turnover ratio, earning All-Big 12 distinctions. He holds a share of the Southeastern Conference (SEC) record for most assists in a single game (19), was named the 2012 SEC Preseason Player of the Year, and achieved First-team All-SEC honors along with leading the conference in assists in 2013. Additionally, he received an Associated Press honorable mention as an All-American. Pressey holds numerous Missouri records related to assists and steals, including career totals.

In high school, Pressey was honored as an All-state player by the Texas Association of Basketball Coaches (TABC) and played a key role in securing consecutive Southwest Preparatory Conference (SPC) state championships in 2009 and 2010. His highlight-reel dunks over taller opponents attracted widespread attention online. He is the son of Paul Pressey, who was a first-round pick in the 1982 NBA draft and a Consensus All-American.

Early years

By June 2006, Pressey had reached a height of .<ref>That year, he helped lead the Boston Amateur Basketball Club (BABC) to win the 2006 Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) National Championship.<ref> He became part of BABC as a seventh grader in 2005.<ref> His freshman season took place at Waltham High School in Massachusetts,<ref> followed by his sophomore year at Cushing Academy.<ref> As his family relocated due to his father’s NBA career moves, Pressey spent summers playing alongside BABC teammate and future Missouri teammate Alex Oriakhi.<ref>

In 2008, after Paul Pressey accepted a position with the New Orleans Hornets, the family moved to Dallas where Phil attended Episcopal School of Dallas for his junior year.<ref> Over two seasons there, his team captured back-to-back SPC Division I state titles in 2009 and 2010.<ref> He was recognized among the top two point guards at the July 2009 LeBron James Skills Academy.<ref> On September 13, 2009, Pressey verbally committed to play college basketball at Missouri.<ref> His father had previously been teammates with Missouri head coach Mike Anderson, who maintained a close relationship with their family.<ref> On April 12, 2010, Pressey’s older brother Matt also committed to Missouri’s recruiting class for that year.<ref> Although Oregon recruited him heavily, Anderson remained at Missouri.<ref>

As a senior, Pressey earned TABC All-state recognition along with first team All-area honors from the Dallas Morning News.<ref> The All-area squad featured prominent players such as Perry Jones, Le'Bryan Nash, and Marcus Smart.<ref> In the SPC championship game of 2010, he posted 32 points, nine assists, and eight rebounds.<ref> Clips showcasing his high school dunks have generated considerable online popularity.<ref> Notably during the 2010 TABC All-star game, he executed a dunk over Tony Mitchell, who stood nearly a foot taller; this video has amassed over 900,000 views.<ref> Due to his height and playing style, comparisons are often drawn between him and undersized Dallas player Spud Webb.<ref>

Freshman season

On December 18, 2010, Pressey achieved 15 points and 11 assists against the Central Arkansas Bears, matching the Missouri Tigers freshman record for assists in a single game. He suffered a fracture to his right index finger prior to the December 22, 2010 Braggin' Rights matchup versus Illinois, causing him to miss four contests. Pressey made his comeback on January 8 during the Big 12 Conference opener against Colorado. A notable performance was his six steals in the March 10 2011 Big 12 men's basketball tournament game against the Texas A&M Aggies, establishing a new Missouri postseason single-game record. Throughout the 2010–11 season, he started in 12 games and set several freshman records, including averages of 2.0 steals and 3.9 assists per game, as well as a total of 117 assists.

Sophomore season

On January 14, 2012, Pressey notched his second career double-double by scoring 18 points and dishing out 10 assists against the Texas Longhorns. During the 2011–12 campaign, he recorded 12 assists on four occasions: versus Villanova (12/6), Texas Tech (1/28), #5 Kansas (2/25), and Oklahoma State (3/8). By late February, he secured a place on the midseason top 30 Watchlist for the Naismith Award. His season totals of 223 assists and a 6.4 per-game average surpassed Anthony Peeler’s Missouri single-season records of 179 assists and a 5.8 average set in the 1989–90 season. For his efforts in the Big 12 during 2011–12, Pressey earned All-Big 12 distinctions: first team by CBSSports.com, second team by Associated Press, and third team by Big 12 coaches. Additionally, he was named to the Big 12 tournament all-tournament team and was a finalist for the Bob Cousy Award.

Junior season

In his junior year, Pressey captained the Missouri squad. CBS Sports ranked him as a first-team preseason All-American in 2012 and placed him eighth in their preseason top 100 players list. Sports Illustrated also included him on its preseason All-American first team. CBS considered him the second-best point guard nationally behind Isaiah Canaan. He was selected among the preseason top 50 candidates for both the John R. Wooden and Naismith Awards in 2012. The SEC media voted him preseason SEC player of the year, while coaches named him to their first team All-SEC roster. Entering this season, he held Missouri’s career assist average record and was approaching Anthony Peeler's career totals for assists and steals.

In December, Pressey received a nomination for the Cousy Award from the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. He posted multiple double-doubles that season, including performances with 11 assists and 12 points against Illinois and an exceptional game with 19 assists and 19 points versus UCLA, tying the Southeastern Conference single-game assist record. On January 5, he established a personal best by scoring 26 points against Bucknell, earning SEC player of the week honors. Shortly thereafter, he matched the Mizzou Arena single-game assist record with 13 assists against Alabama and was named among the final group of twenty Cousy Award finalists, recognized as one of the nation's most effective defenders.

Pressey appeared on the Wooden Award midseason top 25 list in January. On February 9 against Ole Miss, he surpassed Peeler's career assist mark of 497. Later that month, he achieved a new career-high with 27 points along with adding 10 assists and four steals in a game versus Kentucky. In March, he was selected for the U.S. Basketball Writers Association's All-District VI Team and earned All-SEC First Team honors from SEC coaches, FOX Sports South writers, and the Kansas City Star. He concluded the season tied with Peeler’s school record for career steals at 196 while setting fresh single-season assist records with totals of 240 assists and an average of 7.1 per game.

Pressey garnered National Association of Basketball Coaches Division I All-District 21 first team accolades, qualifying him for consideration on the State Farm Coaches' Division I All-America squad. He also received honorable mention as an Associated Press All-American and led the SEC in assists during the 2012–13 season with an average of 7.1 per contest.

2013 NBA draft

On April 10, 2013, Pressey announced his decision to enter the 2013 NBA draft, opting to skip his senior year at Missouri. During his junior season, he achieved personal best averages of 11.9 points and 7.1 assists per game but faced challenges with decision-making and maintained a field goal percentage of just 37.6%. Although anticipated to be selected in the late second round, Pressey received an invitation to participate in the NBA Draft Combine.

Boston Celtics (2013–2015)

After going undrafted in 2013, Pressey joined the Boston Celtics for the Orlando Summer League. His connection with the team was strengthened by his AAU squad’s practice sessions at the Celtics’ Waltham facility. His Summer League efforts secured him a three-year minimum salary contract on July 22, 2013.

With All-Star Rajon Rondo sidelined due to injury, Pressey made his debut in the opening game of the 2013–14 season. Initially coming off the bench during an 0–4 start, head coach Brad Stevens restructured the rotation, increasing Pressey’s minutes. On November 6, he tallied his first assists, steal, and field goal, followed by several games featuring high assist numbers, including a personal best of eight assists on November 25.

Roster moves opened up starting opportunities for Pressey beginning January 15, 2014, when he delivered a turnover-free performance with 10 assists. On January 22, he notched a career-high 20 points against Washington. After Rondo’s return to the lineup, Pressey occasionally started to provide rest for the veteran guard and recorded double-doubles in April, achieving new personal highs of 11 and then 13 assists in back-to-back games.

Pressey participated again in the Celtics’ 2014 NBA Summer League and secured a fully guaranteed contract for the 2014–15 campaign. On February 5, 2015, he was briefly assigned to the Maine Red Claws of the NBA Development League but was recalled just one day later. The Celtics waived him on July 15, 2015.

Philadelphia 76ers (2015)

On July 24, 2015, Pressey signed with the Portland Trail Blazers but was released on October 23 after appearing in four preseason contests. Two days afterward, he was claimed off waivers by the Utah Jazz but was waived again within a day. On November 1, he joined the Idaho Stampede of the NBA Development League as an affiliate player for Utah. Shortly thereafter, on November 4, Pressey signed with the Philadelphia 76ers under an NBA hardship exemption that expanded their roster to sixteen players due to injuries. He made his debut facing the Milwaukee Bucks, a team linked closely to his father’s career. After participating in fourteen games, he was waived by Philadelphia on December 4.

Idaho Stampede / Phoenix Suns (2015–2016)

Pressey returned to the Idaho Stampede on December 7, 2015. Two days later in his debut, he posted four points along with six rebounds, six assists, and one steal over twenty-four minutes. He scored a season-high twenty-one points twice and recorded three double-doubles during the season, including a peak of thirteen assists on February 8, 2016 against the Los Angeles D-Fenders.

On February 20, 2016, Pressey inked a ten-day contract with the Phoenix Suns. The following day marked his Suns debut where he contributed six points, two rebounds, five assists, one steal, and three blocks in a loss to the San Antonio Spurs. This performance made him the first NBA player under six feet tall to register three blocks in a game since Nate Robinson did so in 2013. The next night he posted ten assists against the Los Angeles Clippers. On March 1, he signed a second ten-day deal with Phoenix. After this contract concluded, the Suns parted ways with him and two days later he rejoined Idaho.

Golden State Warriors / Santa Cruz Warriors (2016–2017)

On September 16, 2016, Pressey inked a contract with the Golden State Warriors. However, he was released on October 20 following participation in five preseason contests. Subsequently, on October 31, 2016, he joined the Santa Cruz Warriors, the D-League affiliate team of Golden State.

FC Barcelona (2017–2018)

Pressey secured a one-year agreement with FC Barcelona Lassa of the Liga ACB on July 27, 2017. That season, Barcelona ended with a 41–33 record and captured the 2018 Copa del Rey de Baloncesto title, although Pressey did not see game action. He later competed in the 2018 NBA Summer League representing the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Beşiktaş (2018–2019)

On September 11, 2018, Pressey signed with Beşiktaş, competing in the Turkish Basketball Super League.

Movistar Estudiantes (2019–2020)

Pressey joined the Spanish club Movistar Estudiantes of the Liga ACB on August 11, 2019. During his tenure, he averaged 7.9 points and contributed 4.6 assists per game.

EWE Baskets (2020–2022)

On July 21, 2020, Pressey became a member of EWE Baskets Oldenburg in the German Basketball Bundesliga (BBL). He posted averages of 9.1 points, 4 assists, and 1.4 steals per contest. He recommitted to the team by re-signing on July 7, 2021.

Coaching career

Pressey transitioned from playing to coaching on June 24, 2022, joining Missouri Tigers men's basketball as an assistant coach. Nearly a year later, on June 19, 2023, he was appointed assistant coach for the Boston Celtics. Looking ahead to the 2025–26 season, on July 2, 2025, Pressey was named head coach of the Maine Celtics, taking over from Tyler Lashbrook.

Regular season

|- | style="text-align:left;"| | style="text-align:left;"| Boston | 75 || 11 || 15.1 || .308 || .264 || .644 || 1.4 || 3.2 || .9 || .1 || 2.8 |- | style="text-align:left;"| | style="text-align:left;"| Boston | 50 || 0 || 12.0 || .368 || .246 || .673 || 1.6 || 2.3 || .6 || .1 || 3.5 |- | style="text-align:left;"| | style="text-align:left;"| Philadelphia | 14 || 0 || 12.1 || .382 || .308 || .500 || 1.6 || 3.3 || .8 || .1 || 3.9 |- | style="text-align:left;" | Career | style="text-align:left;" | | 139 || 11 || 13.7 || .338 || .261 || .634 || 1.5 || 2.9 || .8 || .1 || 3.2

Playoffs

|- | style="text-align:left;"| 2015 | style="text-align:left;"| Boston | 2 || 0 || 2.5 || .000 || .000 || – || .5 || .0 || .0 || .5 || .0

Personal

Phil is the son of Elizabeth (Liz) and Paul Pressey. He has three siblings: Ashley, Angela, and Paul Jr., who goes by Matthew. His father Paul Sr., earned accolades as an NCAA basketball All-American, won a National Invitation Tournament, was selected for the NBA All-Defensive Team, claimed a JUCO National championship, and was a first-round pick in the NBA draft. Phil shared two seasons playing alongside his older brother Matt at Missouri; as of September 2013, Matt was playing professionally with the Plymouth Raiders in the British Basketball League. Their sister Angie distinguished herself as an All-American volleyball athlete at the California Golden Bears. Throughout high school, Pressey sported cornrows and was childhood friends and AAU teammates with Alex Oriakhi, who transferred from the national champion Connecticut Huskies (2010–11) to Missouri for the 2012–13 season.

External links