Jump to content

Morris McHone

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Morris McHone
McHone in 1963 as a member ofWingate College's men's basketball team
Personal information
Born(1943-06-17)June 17, 1943(age 81)
Marion, North Carolina,U.S.
Career information
High schoolMarion (Marion, North Carolina)
CollegeWingate(1961–1963)
Career history
As coach:
1969–1978Florida State(assistant)
1978–1979Georgia(assistant)
1979–1980Cleveland Cavaliers(assistant)
1980–1983San Antonio Spurs(assistant)
1983San Antonio Spurs
1984–1986Cleveland Cavaliers (assistant)
1986–1991Bradley(assistant)
1991–1992Birmingham Bandits
1992–1993Fort Wayne Fury
1993–1995Yakima Sun Kings
1995–1999Sioux Falls Skyforce
1999–2001Detroit Pistons(assistant)
2001–2003Los Angeles Clippers(assistant)
2006–2007,
2010–2012		Sioux Falls Skyforce

Morris Daniel"Mo"McHone(born June 17, 1943) is an American former professionalbasketballcoach. He was the head coach for theSan Antonio Spursof theNational Basketball Association(NBA) in 1983 and served as an assistant for theCleveland Cavaliers,Detroit Pistons,Los Angeles Clippers.McHone also coached in theContinental Basketball Association(CBA) andNBA Development League.

Early life and playing career

[edit]

McHone was born to parents who were mill workers: his father was a machinist and his mother was a cloth inspector.[1]He attended Marion High School in his hometown ofMarion, North Carolina.[1]McHone received no college offers after his graduation and participated in an open basketball tryout at Wingate College (nowWingate University).[1]He was drawn to the college because it was affiliated with theBaptist State Convention of North Carolinaand his mother was aSouthern Baptist.[1]McHone impressed Wingate head coach, Bill Connell, and was invited to enrol at the college.[1]He had been promised a scholarship by Connell if he made the team but McHone received limited playing time and did not receive a scholarship.[1]

Coaching career

[edit]

College

[edit]

McHone joined theFlorida State Seminolesas a student manager during the 1963–64 season.[1]Seminoles head coach,J. K. Kennedy,was suffering from cancer and relegated much of his responsibilities to his assistant,Hugh Durham,who in turn assigned opposition scouting duties to McHone.[1]McHone considered the position as being that of an honorary assistant coach.[1]He suggested that the Seminoles baseball team recruit his former Wingate basketball teammate,Mike Martin,who joined the program in 1965 and later returned to serve as the Seminoles head coach for 40 years.[1]

McHone graduated fromFlorida State Universityand spent three seasons as a head coach of the varsity basketball team at a high school in Florida.[1]Durham brought McHone back to the Seminoles as an assistant in 1969.[1]McHone recruitedSleepy Floydto join the Seminoles in 1978 but Durham left to coach for theGeorgia Bulldogsand Floyd changed his commitment.[1]McHone followed Durham to the Bulldogs and the two recruitedDominique Wilkins.[1]

National Basketball Association (NBA)

[edit]

In 1979, McHone received an offer to join theCleveland Cavaliersof theNational Basketball Association(NBA) as an assistant coach.[1]Incoming Cavaliers head coach,Stan Albeck,wanted an assistant from the collegiate ranks and had his agent invite McHone.[1]After one season with the Cavaliers, Albeck was hired as head coach of theSan Antonio Spursand McHone joined him there.[1]Albeck left the Spurs in 1983 to become head coach of theNew Jersey Netsand McHone was appointed as the Spurs head coach.[1]The Spurs had an aging roster led byGeorge GervinandArtis Gilmoreand McHone believed that he was not ready for a professional head coaching role.[1]The Spurs accumulated an 11–20 record under McHone until he was fired on December 28, 1983.[2]

On September 5, 1984, McHone was announced as an assistant coach for theCleveland Cavaliersunder head coachGeorge Karl.[3]He resigned from the position in February 1986.[4]McHone reunited with Albeck on the coaching staff of theBradley Bravesin 1986 and served alongside him until 1991.[5]

McHone also served as an assistant coach for theDetroit Pistons(1999–2001) andLos Angeles Clippers(2001–2003).[6]

Continental Basketball Association (CBA) and NBA Development League

[edit]

McHone has coached in theContinental Basketball Association(CBA) and won two championships.[1]He was the head coach for theBirmingham Banditsin the 1991–92 season,Fort Wayne Furyin the 1992–93 season,Yakima Sun Kingsfrom 1993 to 1995, andSioux Falls Skyforcefrom 1995 to 1999.[7]McHone returned to serve as head coach for the Skyforce during the 2006–07 season and from 2010 to 2012 when they were in theNBA Development League.[7]McHone owns the Skyforce franchise record for all-time wins with 195 and was inducted into the Skyforce Hall of Fame in 2016.[8]

In between his time with the Skyforce, McHone was named Director of Basketball Development for theAustin Torosof the NBA Development League.[9][10]

National team

[edit]

McHone has served as head coach of theUnited States men's national basketball teamfor several stints.[1]

References

[edit]
  1. ^abcdefghijklmnopqrstu"After helming the Spurs, McHone '63 forges solid coaching career".Wingate College.RetrievedFebruary 22,2024.
  2. ^"Spurs dismiss coach McHone".UPI.December 28, 1983.RetrievedFebruary 22,2024.
  3. ^"The Cleveland Cavaliers have scheduled a news conference Thursday..."UPI.September 5, 1984.RetrievedFebruary 22,2024.
  4. ^"The Cleveland Cavaliers have promoted Herman Kull from scout..."UPI.February 13, 1986.RetrievedFebruary 22,2024.
  5. ^"ALBECK QUITS AS BRADLEY COACH".Chicago Tribune.August 10, 2021.RetrievedFebruary 22,2024.
  6. ^"Mo McHone Named To USA Basketball Position".Florida State University.June 7, 2005.RetrievedFebruary 22,2024.
  7. ^ab"Mo McHone minor league basketball coaching records".Stats Crew.RetrievedFebruary 22,2024.
  8. ^"Team History".Sioux Falls Skyforce.RetrievedFebruary 22,2024.
  9. ^http://www.argusleader.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070807/SPORTS/708070318/1002[permanent dead link]No Mo: Coach moving on
  10. ^"Archived copy"(PDF).Archived fromthe original(PDF)on 2011-07-13.Retrieved2008-11-04.{{cite web}}:CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)08-09 Rampage Media Guide, Page 13. Visited on November 4, 2008
[edit]
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Morris_McHone&oldid=1209518607"