Saturday, 21 December 2024

George Karl

Contest: The US Athletic Hall of Fame - Coaches 2024
Embed from Getty Images
Sport(s): Basketball
Statistics: 1 NBA Coach of the Year Award (2014)
2 CBA Coach of the Year Awards (1981 & 1983)
1,175-824 NBA Record
George Karl played five seasons in the NBA with the San Antonio Spurs, and when his playing career wrapped up, he joined his former team as an assistant. Karl became a head coach in the CBA with the Montana Golden Nuggets, winning the CBA Coach of the Year twice, and it secured him an opportunity in the NBA, first with the Cleveland Cavaliers in 1984.

In his first year in Cleveland, he took the Cavs to their first post-season, but the Cavs struggled afterward, leading to Karl’s dismissal. He would not last two full years in his next job, Golden State, as despite taking him to the playoffs in his first year, he resigned before his second season ended due to frustration with ownership.

Karl then went to Albany of the CBA and Real Madrid in the Spanish League, and in 1992, he took over an exciting Seattle SuperSonics team and took them to the Finals in 1996. Karl was let go after the 1998-99 season, but he took Seattle to the playoffs in all of his seven years there.

Karl then coached Milwaukee for five seasons and Denver for nine, missing the playoffs only once in that 14-year span. After being out of the NBA for two years, he returned for two final years as the Sacramento Kings head coach.

The NBA Championship may have eluded Karl, but he was often praised for exceeding expectations based on the talent he had. At present, his 1,175 wins place him fourth all-time.

We are proud to nominate George Karl for the United States Athletic Hall of Fame.

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