Dan D'Antoni

Dan D'Antoni
D'Antoni in 2019
Biographical details
Born (1947-07-09) July 9, 1947 (age 77)
Mullens, West Virginia, U.S.
Playing career
1967–1970Marshall
Position(s)Point guard
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1970–1971Marshall (assistant)
1975–2005Socastee HS
2005–2008Phoenix Suns (assistant)
2008–2012New York Knicks (assistant)
2012–2014Los Angeles Lakers (assistant)
2014–2024Marshall
Head coaching record
Overall177–148 (.545) (college)
Tournaments1–1 (NCAA Division I)
4–0 (CIT)
Accomplishments and honors
Championships
CIT (2019)
C-USA tournament (2018)

Lewis Joseph "Dan" D’Antoni II[1] (born July 9, 1947) is an American former basketball player and coach, who most recently served as head coach for the Marshall Thundering Herd men's basketball team. He was previously an assistant coach under his younger brother, Mike D'Antoni, with the NBA's Phoenix Suns, New York Knicks, and Los Angeles Lakers.

Playing career

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Born in Mullens, West Virginia, D'Antoni played college basketball at Marshall University from 1966 to 1970. He was the Thundering Herd's starting point guard from 1968 to 1970. He led the Herd with a 17.5 scoring average in 1968–69. In 1990, he was inducted into the Marshall University Athletics Hall of Fame.[2]

Coaching career

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High school

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After D'Antoni graduated from Marshall University, he joined the Herd's coaching staff as the head coach of the freshman basketball team coaching his brother Mike, before becoming an assistant coach of the varsity squad.[3] After failing to make the Baltimore Bullets, he became the head basketball coach at Socastee High School in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, in 1975. D'Antoni coached for 30 years at Socastee through 2005 and accumulated over 500 wins. He also founded the Beach Ball Classic, one of the most prestigious high school basketball tournaments in the country during his tenure. In 2016, he was elected into the South Carolina Basketball Coaches Hall of Fame.[4]

NBA

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In the summer of 2005, he became an assistant with the Phoenix Suns under younger brother Mike.[5] Shortly after Mike accepted the head coaching position with the New York Knicks, D'Antoni was hired as an assistant with the Knicks.[6] On March 15, 2012, D'Antoni and fellow assistant coach Phil Webber stepped down after Mike resigned as Knicks head coach.[7] On November 15, 2012, he became an assistant coach with the Los Angeles Lakers, also under his brother.[8] In addition to being an assistant coach, D’Antoni also served as the head coach of the Knicks’ and Lakers’ NBA Summer League teams.

Marshall

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On April 24, 2014, D'Antoni was announced as the new head coach of Marshall University Thundering Herd men's basketball program, 43 years after he was an assistant with the Herd.[9] He led the Thundering Herd to the Conference USA tournament championship game in 2017, where they were defeated by Middle Tennessee, who earned a spot in the NCAA tournament. On March 10, 2018, he led Marshall back to the Conference USA championship game, this time defeating Western Kentucky and earning an automatic bid in the NCAA tournament. It was Marshall's first appearance in the NCAA tournament since 1987.

On March 16, 2018, the 13th-seeded Herd defeated 4th-seeded Wichita State 81–75 in Marshall's opening game of the 2018 NCAA Tournament. It was the team's first-ever win in the tournament.[10] In Round 2, Marshall lost 94–71 to West Virginia University, finishing the season with a 25–11 record. In 2019, he led Marshall to the CIT Championship.

On March 25, 2024, Marshall University Athletics announced it had parted ways with D’Antoni. Associate head coach Cornelius Jackson was announced as his successor on the same day.[11]

Personal life

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D'Antoni graduated from Marshall in 1970 with a degree in Speech and Physical Education and also earned a master's degree in Principles of Guidance from Marshall in 1972. [12]

His father, Lewis, was a high school basketball coach in West Virginia and Ohio, and was inducted into West Virginia's Sports Hall of Fame in May 2004.[13]

D'Antoni is the father of three sons, all of whom played collegiate basketball: Matt played at Brown; Andrew attended Army and later served 3½ years in Iraq, rising to the rank of Major in the U.S. Army and is the current Executive Officer of the East Carolina University Army ROTC program; and Nick attended William & Mary, where he was captain of the basketball team. Dan and wife Vanessa are also parents of daughter Morgan.[13]

Head coaching record

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Statistics overview
Season Team Overall Conference Standing Postseason
Marshall Thundering Herd (Conference USA) (2014–2022)
2014–15 Marshall 11–21 7–11 T–11th
2015–16 Marshall 17–16 12–6 T–3rd
2016–17 Marshall 20–15 10–8 6th
2017–18 Marshall 25–11 12–6 4th NCAA Division I Round of 32
2018–19 Marshall 23–14 11–7 6th CIT champions
2019–20 Marshall 17–15 10–8 6th
2020–21 Marshall 15–7 9–5 3rd (East)
2021–22 Marshall 12–21 4–14 7th (East)
Marshall Thundering Herd (Sun Belt Conference) (2022–2024)
2022–23 Marshall 24–8 13–5 T–2nd
2023–24 Marshall 13–20 7–11 T–10th
Marshall: 177–148 (.545) 95–81 (.540)
Total: 177–148 (.545)

      National champion         Postseason invitational champion  
      Conference regular season champion         Conference regular season and conference tournament champion
      Division regular season champion       Division regular season and conference tournament champion
      Conference tournament champion

References

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  1. ^ Smock, Doug (April 24, 2014). "Herd hires the 'other' D'Antoni as basketball coach". Charleston Gazette-Mail. Retrieved April 25, 2014.
  2. ^ Marshall University Hall of Fame Archived 2018-04-17 at the Wayback Machine. Herdzone.com. Retrieved on March 15, 2013.
  3. ^ Steven Koek (July 28, 2005) One-on-One with Dan D’Antoni. Suns News via NBA.com. Retrieved March 15, 2013.
  4. ^ Blondin, Alan (February 23, 2016). "Longtime Socastee coach D'Antoni elected to S.C. basketball coaches hall of fame". Myrtle Beach Sun News. Retrieved March 12, 2016.
  5. ^ "Suns Add Dan D'Antoni to Coaching Staff". NBA.com. June 29, 2005. Retrieved December 26, 2008.
  6. ^ "Dan D'Antoni joins brother on Knicks staff". The Herald-Dispatch. June 21, 2008. Retrieved December 26, 2008.
  7. ^ Knicks coach Mike D'Antoni resigns. ESPN.com (March 15, 2012). Retrieved March 15, 2013.
  8. ^ Lakers Will Hire Mike D'Antoni's Brother, Dan, Leave Staff Intact. Bleacher Report (November 13, 2012). Retrieved March 15, 2013.
  9. ^ Marshall Men's Basketball Hires Dan D'Antoni as Head Coach Archived 2014-04-24 at the Wayback Machine. Herdzone.com (April 24, 2014). Retrieved April 24, 2014.
  10. ^ Elmore's 27 lead 13th-seeded Marshall over Wichita St 81–75
  11. ^ Morehouse, Keith (March 25, 2024). "MU parting ways with Coach Dan D'Antoni". WSAZ-TV. Retrieved March 25, 2024.
  12. ^ Dan D'Antoni Archived 2014-05-25 at the Wayback Machine. Herdzone.com. Retrieved March 11, 2017.
  13. ^ a b "Coaches: Dan D'Antoni". National Basketball Association. Retrieved January 28, 2011.
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