Wednesday, 04 December 2024

Mitch Kupchak

Contest: The US Athletic Hall of Fame - Contributors 2024
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Sport(s): Basketball Executive
Statistics: 7 NBA Championships (1987, 1988, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2009 & 2010)

*3 NBA Championship (1978, 1982 & 1985)
*1 ACC Player of the Year (1976)
*1 Olympic Gold Medal (1976)

*As a player
Mitch Kupchak was a decent basketball player, winning the ACC Player of the Year with North Carolina and helping the United States win the Olympics that same year at the Montreal games. Kupchak had further success in the NBA, winning three NBA titles, one with Washington and two with Los Angeles. When Kupchak’s playing career ended, he joined the Lakers’ front office as the assistant general manager under Jerry West, which as good a mentor as you could ask for.

Kupchak assisted West and the Lakers in winning two more titles (1987 & 1988), and he became general manager when West became the vice president of basketball operations. West still called most of the shots, and in 2000, they won another title, but West resigned to take a similar job with the Memphis Grizzlies, and now Kupchak had the reins of the Lakers.

The Lakers continued to do well, and Kupchak accumulated four more NBA Championships. It was not an easy decade, as the Kobe Bryant-Shaquille O’Neal feud forced him to deal O’Neal, and he managed to help soothe over hurt feelings from Bryant, which helped keep their superstar. Kupchak rebuilt a team around Bryant, and while their other pieces in place, his role in this should never be undervalued.

Kupchak remained the Lakers general manager until 2017 when he was fired.

With 10 NBA Championships, Kupchak is in select company.

We are proud to nominate Mitch Kupchak for the United States Athletic Hall of Fame.

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