Kevin O’Neill hired as Assistant Coach
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Memphis– The Memphis Grizzlies added Kevin O’Neill to the team’s assistant coaching ranks, Grizzlies General Manager and Vice President of Basketball Operations Chris Wallace announced today.
A former University of Tennessee head coach, O’Neill brings 28 years of coaching experience to the club including a one-year stint as head coach of the Toronto Raptors in 2003-04 where he went 33-49 (.402). He was the lead assistant coach for the Detroit Pistons from 2001-03 under 2001-02 NBA Coach of the Year and newly-named Dallas Mavericks Head Coach Rick Carlisle.
“The Grizzlies are excited about the opportunity to work with a defensive expert in Kevin O’Neill,” said Head Coach Marc Iavaroni. “His experience and knowledge in college and the NBA will help our players and organization reach the highest levels we are striving for.”
A six-year veteran in the NBA coaching circles, O’Neill has seen time as an assistant with the New York Knicks (2000-01) under Jeff Van Gundy and the Indiana Pacers (2004-06) where he rejoined Carlisle. Including his time at the helm in Toronto, no NBA team with O’Neill on the coaching staff has ever finished lower than sixth in the league in points allowed per game.
Most recently, O’Neill served as the interim head coach at the University of Arizona last season, where he guided the Wildcats to a 19-15 record (.559) and the school’s 24th consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance. The Wildcats faced the then-No. 2 ranked Memphis Tigers on Dec. 29, 2007 at FedExForum.
Prior to joining the Knicks in 2000, O’Neill was a well-known figure on the college scene as the head coach at Marquette University (1989-94), Tennessee (1994-97) and Northwestern University (1997-2000). The Great Midwest Conference Coach of the Year in 1993 and 1994 (Marquette) has also seen duty as an assistant coach at Arizona (1986-89) under Hall of Famer Lute Olson, the University of Tulsa (1985-86) and the University of Delaware (1983-85).
O’Neill, 51, got his coaching start at Hammond High School (Hammond, N.Y.) in the 1979-80 season before moving on to North County Community College (Saranac, N.Y.), where he was the head coach from 1980-82. He then coached on the NAIA level at Marycrest College in 1982-83.
A three-year letterman and graduate of McGill University (Montreal, Quebec, Canada), O’Neill helped the Redmen to a 52-38 (.598) record from 1975-78 before earning his B.S. in Education in 1979. The 1977-78 McGill team posted a school-record 28 wins and advanced to the Canadian Interuniversity Sport national championship tournament.
Born in Malone, N.Y., O’Neill earned his Master’s degree in Secondary Education from Marycrest (Davenport, Iowa) in 1983. He is married to the former Roberta Elder and has one son, Sean.