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Arizona Basketball Alumni: Where are our Wildcats playing/coaching now?

By Shereen Rayan

TUCSON, AZ - NOVEMBER 21: Arizona Wildcats mascot Wilbur T. Wildcat performs at center court before the start of the NCAA college basketball game between the Arizona Wildcats and the Northern Colorado Bears at McKale Center on November 21, 2016 in Tucson, Arizona. The Wildcats beat the Bears 71-55. (Photo by Chris Coduto/Getty Images)
TUCSON, AZ - NOVEMBER 21: Arizona Wildcats mascot Wilbur T. Wildcat performs at center court before the start of the NCAA college basketball game between the Arizona Wildcats and the Northern Colorado Bears at McKale Center on November 21, 2016 in Tucson, Arizona. The Wildcats beat the Bears 71-55. (Photo by Chris Coduto/Getty Images) /
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Head coach Steve Kerr (R) waves with coaching staff from a double decker bus during the Golden State Warriors NBA Championship victory parade along Market Street in San Francisco, California on June 20, 2022. (Photo by Patrick T. FALLON / AFP) (Photo by PATRICK T. FALLON/AFP via Getty Images)
Head coach Steve Kerr (R) waves with coaching staff from a double decker bus during the Golden State Warriors NBA Championship victory parade along Market Street in San Francisco, California on June 20, 2022. (Photo by Patrick T. FALLON / AFP) (Photo by PATRICK T. FALLON/AFP via Getty Images) /

NBA and International Pro Coaches (12)

Bret Brielmaier — Orlando Magic Assistant Coach (along with Jesse Mermuys)

Joseph Blair — Washington Wizards Assistant Coach

Joseph Blair recently was in Japan with the Washington Wizards, this will be his second season with the organization. On January 17, 2022, as acting Head Coach, JB led the Wizards to a win beating the Philadelphia 76ers (his former employer) 117-98 in his debut game as head coach in place of Wes Unseld Jr.

Matt Brase — Head Coach of Pallacanestro Varese in the Italian Lega Basket Serie A (LBA)

Matt Brase is a head coach again! After spending last season as an assistant coach for the Portland Trailblazers, Brase is taking his talents to Italy.

Jud Buechler — New York Knicks Assistant Coach 

Buechler is entering his fifth season as the New York Knicks assistant coach.

Quinton Crawford — Los Angeles Lakers Assistant Coach (Along with Miles Simon)

Crawford was employed by Frank Vogel as the Los Angeles Lakers’ assistant coach in the summer of 2019. When the Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Miami Heat in the 2020 NBA Finals in six games, Crawford won his first championship.

Steve Kerr — Golden State Warriors Head Coach

Steve Kerr and Bruce Fraser are coming off their fourth NBA Championship win in their coaching career. Along with Andre Iguodala, they will be striving to complete a handful of rings.

Bruce Fraser — Golden State Warriors Assistant Coach for Player Development (Along with Steve Kerr)

See Steve Kerr.

Jesse Mermuys — Orlando Magic Assistant Coach

The Orlando Magic returns Jesse Mermuys as an assistant coach. He has previously served as an assistant coach with the Toronto Raptors, Houston Rockets, and Sacramento Kings.

Miles Simon — South Bay Lakers Head Coach (G-League)

This is Miles Simon’s second season as the South Bay Lakers head coach. He has survived a few coaching changes from Luke Walton to John Vogel, to brand new coach for the 2022-23 season, Darvin Ham.

Damon Stoudamire — Boston Celtics Assistant Coach

Damon Stoudamire was riding high with the Boston Celtics going all the way to the finals. The Celtics made it to the NBA Championship for the  first time since 2010. The Celtics led the Golden State Warriors 2-1 before dropping the next three games to lose 4-2.

Then all hell broke loose when Head Coach Ime Oduke’s name hit headlines for extracurricular activities off the court.

Jason Terry — Utah Jazz Assistant Coach

Jason “The Jet” Terry has moved up in the world, from Arizona Assistant Coach to Head Coach of the Grand Rapids Gold, the Denver Nuggets G-League team, to now the Assistant Coach of the Utah Jazz, Terry has been climbing the coaching ranks.

You can read between the lines that Utah is becoming Wildcat territory as the Jazz also traded for both Stanley and Lauri over the summer.

Luke Walton — Cleveland Cavaliers Assistant Coach

Luke Walton was appointed head coach of the Sacramento Kings on April 14, 2019. He and Vlade Divac, the general manager of the Kings, were Lakers teammates in 2004–05. After missing forward Marvin Bagley III for weeks due to a broken thumb sustained in the final seconds of a season-opening defeat to the Suns, the Kings started the 2019–20 campaign with a record of 0–5.

Sacramento improved after a sluggish start to win six of its next eight games and finish the season with a 31-41 record. Divac quit following the campaign.

In 2020–21, the Kings once again ended 31–41. After a 6–11 start to the 2021–22 season, the Kings dismissed Walton on November 21, 2021.

Walton was hired by the Cleveland Cavaliers as an assistant coach on May 31, 2022, under J.B. Bickerstaff. Walton played for the Cavs in 2012–13.

Home/Cats in the Pros