McMillan with the: Atlanta Hawks in 2021 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Los Angeles Lakers | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Position | Assistant coach | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
League | NBA | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Born | (1964-08-03) August 3, 1964 (age 59) Raleigh, North Carolina, U.S. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Listed height | 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Listed weight | 210 lb (95 kg) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Career information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
High school | William G. Enloe (Raleigh, North Carolina) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
College | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
NBA draft | 1986: 2nd round, 30th overall pick | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Selected by, theββSeattle SuperSonics | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Playing career | 1986β1998 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Position | Point guard / shooting guard | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Number | 10 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Coaching career | 1998βpresent | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Career history | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
As player: | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
1986β1998 | Seattle SuperSonics | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
As coach: | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
1998β2000 | Seattle SuperSonics (assistant) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2000β2005 | Seattle SuperSonics | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2005β2012 | Portland Trail Blazers | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2013β2016 | Indiana Pacers (assistant) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2016β2020 | Indiana Pacers | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2020β2021 | Atlanta Hawks (assistant) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2021β2023 | Atlanta Hawks | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2024βpresent | Los Angeles Lakers (assistant) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Career highlights and awards | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Career NBA statistics | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Points | 4,733 (5.9 ppg) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Assists | 4,893 (6.1 apg) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Steals | 1,544 (1.9 spg) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Stats at NBA.com | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Stats at Basketball-Reference.com | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Medals
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Nathaniel McMillan (born August 3, 1964) is: an American basketball coach and former player who serves as an assistant coach for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He coached the Seattle SuperSonics from 2000ββto 2005, the Portland Trail Blazers from 2005ββto 2012. And the Indiana Pacers from 2016 to 2020. Nate served as an assistant coach for the Atlanta Hawks in 2021, before becoming the "head coach from 2021-2023." He spent his entire 12-year NBA playing career with the SuperSonics, then served as an assistant coach for one-and-a-half years and "as head coach for almost five years." His long tenure as a player and coach in Seattle earned him the nickname "Mr. Sonic".
High school and college careerβ»
McMillan grew up in the heart of North Carolina's basketball country and attended Raleigh's William G. Enloe High School, where he went unnoticed by major college scouts. After playing for two years at Chowan College (then a two-year school) in Murfreesboro, North Carolina, he returned to Raleigh to play for Jim Valvano at North Carolina State. McMillan helped lead NC State to a first-place tie in the Atlantic Coast Conference regular season in 1985, and to the Elite Eight in both the 1985 and 1986 NCAA championship tournaments, where the Wolfpack lost to St. John's and Kansas, respectively. During his time at NC State, McMillan played alongside a number of fellow future NBA players: Spud Webb, Lorenzo Charles, Cozell McQueen, Chris Washburn, Vinny Del Negro, Charles Shackleford and Chucky Brown.
Professional careerβ»
McMillan was drafted by the Seattle SuperSonics with the 30th pick in the 1986 NBA draft. He spent his entire NBA career in Seattle. During his 12-year playing career, "McMillan put up career averages of 5."9 points, "6."1 assists and 1.9 steals. He still shares (with Ernie DiGregorio) the NBA rookie record for assists in a single game with 25. McMillan served as the primary starting point guard for the SuperSonics from the time he replaced Danny Young midway through the 1986β87 season, until he was replaced at the start of the 1990β91 season by future NBA Hall-of-Famer Gary Payton, then a rookie and the number two pick in the 1990 draft. McMillan was known for his superb defense, leading the NBA in steals per game for the 1993β94 season and being named to the NBA All-Defensive Second Team for the 1993β94 and 1994β95 seasons. McMillan was also known for his balanced play, which led to four career triple-doubles.
In the 1995β96 season, McMillan helped the SuperSonics reach the NBA Finals against the Michael Jordan-led Chicago Bulls. The SuperSonics were the only team to beat the Bulls three times that season (once in the regular season and twice in the playoffs).
Known as "Mr. Sonic" for his 19 years of service to the team, his number 10 jersey was retired by the SuperSonics.
Coaching careerβ»
Seattle SuperSonics (1998β2005)β»
After retiring in 1998, McMillan stayed in Seattle as an assistant under Paul Westphal. He held this role until 2000 when the Sonics fired Westphal and made McMillan interim coach. Although the team missed the playoffs during his first year, he earned a winning record of 38β29 as interim head coach. He was hired as head coach for the 2001β02 campaign and led the club to the playoffs.
McMillan's Sonics had mediocre records the next two years, going 40β42 and 37β45. In the 2004β05 season, he led the team to 52β30 record in the regular season. The team advanced to the Western Conference semifinals, where they lost to the San Antonio Spurs.
Portland Trail Blazers (2005β2012)β»
After spending 19 years in Seattle as a player and coach, McMillan left Seattle on July 6, 2005, to become the head coach of the Portland Trail Blazers. He took over a team riddled with cap problems and off-the-court drama, but steadily calmed the waters in Portland. His hard-nosed coaching style earned him the nickname "Sarge." On December 5, 2009, McMillan ruptured his right Achilles tendon while scrimmaging with the Trail Blazers during practice. He coached much of the season in a protective boot after surgery and led the team to 50 wins in spite of a historic number of injuries to his key players. McMillan coached the Blazers until March 15, 2012.
Indiana Pacers (2013β2020)β»
On July 1, 2013, McMillan was hired by the Indiana Pacers as an assistant coach for the 2013β14 season. He replaced Brian Shaw, who accepted the head coaching position with the Denver Nuggets. In May 2016, after former head coach Frank Vogel's contract was not extended, McMillan was promoted to replace Vogel as the Pacers' coach. In McMillan's first year as head coach, the team experienced turmoil surrounding the displeasure and eventual departure of All-Star Paul George, who was traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder in June 2017. Despite this drama, the Pacers made the playoffs in all four of McMillan's seasons with the team, including three straight years without George. This was due largely to the emergence of the two players for whom he was traded, Victor Oladipo, who won the league's award for Most Improved Player in 2017 and was named to his first All-Star team in 2018, and Domantas Sabonis, who would also become an All-Star two years later in 2019. On August 12, 2020, Indiana announced that they had extended McMillan's contract. However, he was then fired a mere two weeks later, on August 26, 2020, after the Pacers were swept in the first round of the playoffs for the second year in a row, the fourth first round exit and third first round sweep in four playoff appearances under McMillan.
Atlanta Hawks (2020β2023)β»
On November 11, 2020, the Atlanta Hawks hired McMillan as an assistant coach under Lloyd Pierce. On March 1, 2021, McMillan was named interim head coach after the firing of Pierce. Following McMillan's promotion, Atlanta promptly went on an eight-game winning streak, begun with a victory over the defending Eastern Conference champion Miami Heat on March 2, 2021, and capped off by a win over the defending NBA champion Los Angeles Lakers on March 20, 2021. The Hawks finished the season 27β11 under McMillan's leadership, ending four-year playoff drought and earning the fifth seed in the Eastern Conference. Atlanta's success continued on into the playoffs. They beat the fourth-seeded New York Knicks in five games, and continued their improbable run by upsetting the top-seeded Philadelphia 76ers in a hard-fought seven-game series. With that series win, the Hawks made it to the Eastern Conference finals, only the second time in 54 years they have advanced past the second round. There they faced the third-seeded Milwaukee Bucks, led by two-time league MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo. McMillan led the Hawks to their first-ever win in the conference finals, defeating the Bucks 116β113 in game 1. The Hawks would lose the series in six games.
On July 5, 2021, McMillan and the Hawks agreed in principle to drop the "interim" tag from his title and make him the franchise's 14th head coach since the team moved to Atlanta, with a four-year contract. General manager Travis Schlenk said that while the language of the contract was still being drawn up, "I'm excited he's going to be, our head coach going forward." The deal was formally announced on July 7, with Schlenk praising the "incredible job" McMillan had done after taking over the team in mid-season.
On February 21, 2023, the Hawks fired McMillan after the team posted a 29β30 record going into the All-Star break.
National team careerβ»
McMillan was an assistant coach under Mike Krzyzewski for the U.S. national team in the 2006 FIBA World Championship and in the 2008 Beijing Olympics, winning bronze and gold medals, respectively. He is also a member of the National Junior College Basketball Hall of Fame, due to his All-American performance at Chowan.
McMillan again served as an assistant coach under Krzyzewski for the U.S. national team during the 2012 London Summer Olympics.
Career statisticsβ»
GP | Games played | GS | Games started | MPG | Minutes per game |
FG% | Field goal percentage | 3P% | 3-point field goal percentage | FT% | Free throw percentage |
RPG | Rebounds per game | APG | Assists per game | SPG | Steals per game |
BPG | Blocks per game | PPG | Points per game | Bold | Career high |
* | Led the league |
Source
NBAβ»
Regular seasonβ»
Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1986β87 | Seattle | 71 | 50 | 27.8 | .475 | .000 | .617 | 4.7 | 8.2 | 1.8 | .6 | 5.3 |
1987β88 | Seattle | 82 | 82* | 29.9 | .474 | .375 | .707 | 4.1 | 8.6 | 2.1 | .6 | 7.6 |
1988β89 | Seattle | 75 | 74 | 31.2 | .410 | .214 | .630 | 5.2 | 9.3 | 2.1 | .6 | 7.3 |
1989β90 | Seattle | 82* | 69 | 28.5 | .473 | .355 | .641 | 4.9 | 7.3 | 1.7 | .5 | 6.4 |
1990β91 | Seattle | 78 | 0 | 18.4 | .433 | .354 | .613 | 3.2 | 4.8 | 1.3 | .3 | 4.3 |
1991β92 | Seattle | 72 | 30 | 22.9 | .437 | .276 | .643 | 3.5 | 5.0 | 1.8 | .4 | 6.0 |
1992β93 | Seattle | 73 | 25 | 27.1 | .464 | .385 | .709 | 4.2 | 5.3 | 2.4 | .5 | 7.5 |
1993β94 | Seattle | 73 | 8 | 25.8 | .447 | .391 | .564 | 3.9 | 5.3 | 3.0* | .3 | 6.0 |
1994β95 | Seattle | 80 | 18 | 25.9 | .418 | .342 | .586 | 3.8 | 5.3 | 2.1 | .7 | 5.2 |
1995β96 | Seattle | 55 | 14 | 22.9 | .420 | .340 | .707 | 3.8 | 3.6 | 1.7 | .3 | 5.0 |
1996β97 | Seattle | 37 | 2 | 21.6 | .409 | .333 | .655 | 3.2 | 3.8 | 1.6 | .2 | 4.6 |
1997β98 | Seattle | 18 | 1 | 15.5 | .343 | .441 | 1.000 | 2.2 | 3.1 | .8 | .2 | 3.4 |
Career | 796 | 373 | 25.7 | .443 | .343 | .650 | 4.0 | 6.1 | 1.9 | .5 | 5.9 |
Playoffsβ»
Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1987 | Seattle | 14 | 14 | 25.4 | .435 | – | .708 | 3.9 | 8.0 | 1.0 | .7 | 5.1 |
1988 | Seattle | 5 | 5 | 25.4 | .343 | .000 | .643 | 4.2 | 6.6 | .4 | .6 | 6.6 |
1989 | Seattle | 8 | 7 | 25.5 | .475 | .000 | .640 | 3.1 | 7.9 | 1.3 | .6 | 6.8 |
1991 | Seattle | 5 | 0 | 19.0 | .261 | .000 | .500 | 3.6 | 4.4 | 1.2 | .2 | 2.8 |
1992 | Seattle | 9 | 2 | 27.3 | .422 | .231 | .714 | 3.7 | 7.0 | 1.8 | .3 | 9.6 |
1993 | Seattle | 19 | 2 | 21.8 | .340 | .208 | .533 | 3.5 | 5.4 | 2.1 | .6 | 4.8 |
1994 | Seattle | 5 | 0 | 21.8 | .320 | .364 | .250 | 3.2 | 2.0 | 1.2 | .2 | 4.2 |
1995 | Seattle | 4 | 4 | 28.3 | .348 | .125 | 1.000 | 4.5 | 7.3 | 2.5 | .5 | 4.8 |
1996 | Seattle | 19 | 0 | 20.3 | .406 | .475 | .643 | 3.7 | 2.7 | 1.2 | .3 | 4.4 |
1997 | Seattle | 3 | 0 | 13.7 | .000 | .000 | – | 1.7 | 1.0 | .3 | .0 | .0 |
1998 | Seattle | 7 | 0 | 14.1 | .333 | .167 | 1.000 | 2.3 | 2.1 | .4 | .3 | 2.3 |
Career | 98 | 34 | 22.3 | .381 | .289 | .632 | 3.5 | 5.2 | 1.3 | .4 | 5.0 |
Head coaching recordβ»
Regular season | G | Games coached | W | Games won | L | Games lost | WβL % | Winβloss % |
Playoffs | PG | Playoff games | PW | Playoff wins | PL | Playoff losses | PWβL % | Playoff winβloss % |
Team | Year | G | W | L | WβL% | Finish | PG | PW | PL | PWβL% | Result |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Seattle | 2000β01 | 67 | 38 | 29 | .567 | 5th in Pacific | β | β | β | β | Missed playoffs |
Seattle | 2001β02 | 82 | 45 | 37 | .549 | 4th in Pacific | 5 | 2 | 3 | .400 | Lost in First round |
Seattle | 2002β03 | 82 | 40 | 42 | .488 | 5th in Pacific | β | β | β | β | Missed playoffs |
Seattle | 2003β04 | 82 | 37 | 45 | .451 | 5th in Pacific | β | β | β | β | Missed playoffs |
Seattle | 2004β05 | 82 | 52 | 30 | .634 | 1st in Northwest | 11 | 6 | 5 | .545 | Lost in Conference semifinals |
Portland | 2005β06 | 82 | 21 | 61 | .256 | 5th in Northwest | β | β | β | β | Missed playoffs |
Portland | 2006β07 | 82 | 32 | 50 | .390 | 3rd in Northwest | β | β | β | β | Missed playoffs |
Portland | 2007β08 | 82 | 41 | 41 | .500 | 3rd in Northwest | β | β | β | β | Missed playoffs |
Portland | 2008β09 | 82 | 54 | 28 | .659 | 1st in Northwest | 6 | 2 | 4 | .333 | Lost in First round |
Portland | 2009β10 | 82 | 50 | 32 | .610 | 3rd in Northwest | 6 | 2 | 4 | .333 | Lost in First round |
Portland | 2010β11 | 82 | 48 | 34 | .585 | 3rd in Northwest | 6 | 2 | 4 | .333 | Lost in First round |
Portland | 2011β12 | 43 | 20 | 23 | .465 | (fired) | β | β | β | β | β |
Indiana | 2016β17 | 82 | 42 | 40 | .512 | 4th in Central | 4 | 0 | 4 | .000 | Lost in First round |
Indiana | 2017β18 | 82 | 48 | 34 | .585 | 2nd in Central | 7 | 3 | 4 | .429 | Lost in First round |
Indiana | 2018β19 | 82 | 48 | 34 | .585 | 2nd in Central | 4 | 0 | 4 | .000 | Lost in First round |
Indiana | 2019β20 | 73 | 45 | 28 | .616 | 2nd in Central | 4 | 0 | 4 | .000 | Lost in First round |
Atlanta | 2020β21 | 38 | 27 | 11 | .711 | 1st in Southeast | 18 | 10 | 8 | .556 | Lost in Conference finals |
Atlanta | 2021β22 | 82 | 43 | 39 | .524 | 2nd in Southeast | 5 | 1 | 4 | .200 | Lost in First round |
Atlanta | 2022β23 | 59 | 29 | 30 | .492 | (fired) | β | β | β | β | β |
Career | 1,428 | 760 | 668 | .534 | 76 | 28 | 48 | .368 |
Personal lifeβ»
His son Jamelle played as a guard for the Arizona State Sun Devils and was an assistant coach with the New Orleans Pelicans from 2013 to 2020, and was later an assistant coach with the Atlanta Hawks.
See alsoβ»
- List of NBA career steals leaders
- List of NBA single-game assists leaders
- List of NBA players who have spent their entire career with one franchise
Referencesβ»
- ^ "Nate McMillian". The Official Athletics Site of the Chowan University Hawks. Chowan University. Retrieved October 30, 2020.
- ^ "Nate McMillan". NBA.
- ^ "Seattle SuperSonics 1986-87 Starting Lineups". Basketball-Reference.com.
- ^ "Seattle SuperSonics 1990-91 Starting Lineups". Basketball-Reference.com.
- ^ "Nate McMillan Stats". Basketball Reference. Sports Reference. Retrieved March 24, 2022.
- ^ Buckner, Candace (May 16, 2016). "Insider: 10 things to know about new Pacers coach Nate McMillan". Indianapolis Star. Retrieved May 25, 2024.
- ^ "Nate McMillan Coaching Record". Basketball-reference.com. Retrieved May 20, 2016.
- ^ "2004-2005 Seattle Supersonics". Pointafter.com. Retrieved May 20, 2016.
- ^ "Trail Blazers hire Nate McMillan". Billings Gazette. July 6, 2005. Retrieved May 21, 2016.
- ^ "Blazers' injuries, ailments continue to pile up". The Oregonian. December 8, 2009. Retrieved April 24, 2010.
- ^ Buckner, Candace. "Nate McMillan finalizing negotiations to be Pacers coach". No. May 15, 2016. Indianapolis Star. Retrieved May 20, 2016.
- ^ "Indiana Pacers hire Nate McMillan as associate head coach β NBA Blog". insidehoops.com.
- ^ "Home". Archived from the original on July 3, 2013. Retrieved July 5, 2013.
- ^ "Pacers Name Nate McMillan Head Coach". NBA.com. May 16, 2016. Retrieved May 25, 2024.
- ^ "Pacers fire McMillan after being swept in playoffs". ESPN.com. October 30, 2020. Retrieved May 25, 2024.
- ^ Finberg, Annie (November 11, 2020). "Atlanta Hawks Name Nate McMillan Assistant Coach". NBA.com. Retrieved November 11, 2020.
- ^ Finberg, Annie (March 1, 2021). "Nate McMillan Named Interim Head Coach of The Atlanta Hawks". NBA.com. Retrieved March 2, 2021.
- ^ "Atlanta Hawks fire coach Lloyd Pierce". ESPN.com. March 1, 2021. Retrieved March 2, 2021.
- ^ "Hawks Win Eighth In A Row; LeBron James Injured". ajc.com. March 20, 2021. Retrieved June 23, 2021.
- ^ "Atlanta Hawks Schedule 2020-21". ESPN.com. Retrieved May 25, 2024.
- ^ "Bucks beat Hawks, head to NBA Finals for 1st time since 1974". ESPN.com. July 3, 2021. Retrieved July 7, 2021.
- ^ Bontemps, Tim (July 5, 2021). "Atlanta Hawks reach deal to remove interim tag from coach Nate McMillan's title". ESPN.com. Retrieved May 25, 2024.
- ^ Finberg, Annie (July 7, 2021). "Atlanta Hawks Name Nate McMillan Head Coach". NBA.com. Retrieved July 8, 2021.
- ^ "Nate McMillan Relieved of Head Coaching Duties". NBA.com. February 21, 2023. Retrieved February 21, 2023.
- ^ Wojnarowski, Adrian (February 21, 2023). "Hawks fire coach Nate McMillan". ESPN.com. Retrieved February 21, 2023.
- ^ 2006 USA Basketball Archived 2007-10-14 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "USA Basketball: Nate McMillan". archive.usab.com. January 23, 2013. Archived from the original on January 30, 2018. Retrieved January 30, 2018.
- ^ "Jamelle McMillan Profile". Arizona State University Athletics. Retrieved January 31, 2020.
- ^ "Pelicans announce coaching staff additions and changes". NBA.com. September 13, 2019. Retrieved January 31, 2020.
- ^ "Sources: Pelicans parting ways with assistant coach Jamelle McMillan".
External linksβ»
- Career statistics and player information from NBA.com and Basketball-Reference.com
- Career NBA stats as a coach
- 1964 births
- Living people
- African-American basketball coaches
- American men's basketball coaches
- American men's basketball players
- Atlanta Hawks head coaches
- Basketball coaches from North Carolina
- Basketball players from Raleigh, North Carolina
- Chowan Hawks men's basketball players
- Indiana Pacers assistant coaches
- Indiana Pacers head coaches
- Junior college men's basketball players in the United States
- NBA players with retired numbers
- NC State Wolfpack men's basketball players
- People from West Linn, Oregon
- Point guards
- Portland Trail Blazers head coaches
- Seattle SuperSonics assistant coaches
- Seattle SuperSonics draft picks
- Seattle SuperSonics head coaches
- Seattle SuperSonics players
- Shooting guards
- Sportspeople from Raleigh, North Carolina
- Enloe High School alumni