Dan D'Antoni
Encyclopedia
Dan D'Antoni is an Italian-American former basketball
player and is currently an assistant coach under his younger brother, Mike D'Antoni
, with the NBA
's New York Knicks
. D'Antoni previously served as an assistant coach under his brother with the Phoenix Suns
.
at Marshall University
from 1966-1970. He was the Thundering Herd's starting point guard
from 68-70. He led the Herd with a 17.5 scoring average in 1968-69. In 1990, he was inducted into the Marshall University Athletics Hall of Fame.
, he joined the Herd's coaching staff as the head coach of the freshman basketball team coaching his brother Mike, before becoming an assistant coach of the varsity squad. After failing to make the Baltimore Bullets
, he decided to become to be the head basketball coach at Socastee High School
in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
in 1975. After coaching 30 years at Socastee, 1975–2005, D'Antoni accumulated over 500 wins and founded the Beach Ball Classic, one of the most prestigious high school basketball tournaments in the country, before taking becoming an assisted with the Phoenix Suns
.
Shortly after younger brother Mike D'Antoni
accepted the head coaching position with the New York Knicks
, Dan was hired as an assistant with the Knicks.
In addition to brother Mike, father Lewis is a legendary high school basketball coach in West Virginia
and Ohio
, and was inducted into West Virginia’s Sports Hall of Fame in May 2004.
Dan is the father of three sons, all of whom played collegiate basketball: Matt played at Brown; Andrew attended Army
and later served 3½ years in Iraq
, rising to the rank of captain in the U.S. Army; and Nick attended William & Mary
, where he was captain of the basketball team. Dan and wife Vanessa are also parents of daughter Morgan. The D’Antoni family resides in Mount Kisco, New York
.
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
player and is currently an assistant coach under his younger brother, Mike D'Antoni
Mike D'Antoni
Michael Andrew "Mike" D'Antoni is an Italian-American former basketball player and is currently the head coach of the NBA's New York Knicks. While head coach of the Phoenix Suns, he won NBA Coach of the Year honors for the 2004–05 NBA season after the Suns posted 33 more wins than the previous...
, with the NBA
National Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
's New York Knicks
New York Knicks
The New York Knickerbockers, prominently known as the Knicks, are a professional basketball team based in New York City. They are part of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association...
. D'Antoni previously served as an assistant coach under his brother with the Phoenix Suns
Phoenix Suns
The Phoenix Suns are a professional basketball team based in Phoenix, Arizona. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association and the only team in their division not to be based in California. Their home arena since 1992 has been the US...
.
Playing career
D'Antoni played college basketballCollege basketball
College basketball most often refers to the USA basketball competitive governance structure established by the National Collegiate Athletic Association . Basketball in the NCAA is divided into three divisions: Division I, Division II and Division III....
at Marshall University
Marshall University
Marshall University is a coeducational public research university in Huntington, West Virginia, United States founded in 1837, and named after John Marshall, the fourth Chief Justice of the United States....
from 1966-1970. He was the Thundering Herd's starting point guard
Point guard
Point guard , also called the play maker or "the ball-handler", is one of the standard positions in a regulation basketball game. A point guard has perhaps the most specialized role of any position – essentially, he is expected to run the team's offense by controlling the ball and making sure that...
from 68-70. He led the Herd with a 17.5 scoring average in 1968-69. In 1990, he was inducted into the Marshall University Athletics Hall of Fame.
Coaching career
After D'Antoni graduated from Marshall UniversityMarshall University
Marshall University is a coeducational public research university in Huntington, West Virginia, United States founded in 1837, and named after John Marshall, the fourth Chief Justice of the United States....
, he joined the Herd's coaching staff as the head coach of the freshman basketball team coaching his brother Mike, before becoming an assistant coach of the varsity squad. After failing to make the Baltimore Bullets
Washington Wizards
The Washington Wizards are a professional basketball team based in Washington, D.C., previously known as Washington Bullets. They play in the National Basketball Association .-Early years:...
, he decided to become to be the head basketball coach at Socastee High School
Socastee High School
Socastee High School is a large, three-story public high school with about 1,400 students located in Socastee, South Carolina right next to Socastee Elm., USA, in the Myrtle Beach metro area. It is run by Horry County Schools. The school's mascot is the Brave and the school colors are black and...
in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
Myrtle Beach is a coastal city on the east coast of the United States in Horry County, South Carolina. It is situated on the center of a large and continuous stretch of beach known as the Grand Strand in northeastern South Carolina. It is considered to be a major tourist destination in the...
in 1975. After coaching 30 years at Socastee, 1975–2005, D'Antoni accumulated over 500 wins and founded the Beach Ball Classic, one of the most prestigious high school basketball tournaments in the country, before taking becoming an assisted with the Phoenix Suns
Phoenix Suns
The Phoenix Suns are a professional basketball team based in Phoenix, Arizona. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association and the only team in their division not to be based in California. Their home arena since 1992 has been the US...
.
Shortly after younger brother Mike D'Antoni
Mike D'Antoni
Michael Andrew "Mike" D'Antoni is an Italian-American former basketball player and is currently the head coach of the NBA's New York Knicks. While head coach of the Phoenix Suns, he won NBA Coach of the Year honors for the 2004–05 NBA season after the Suns posted 33 more wins than the previous...
accepted the head coaching position with the New York Knicks
New York Knicks
The New York Knickerbockers, prominently known as the Knicks, are a professional basketball team based in New York City. They are part of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association...
, Dan was hired as an assistant with the Knicks.
Personal life
D'Antoni graduated from Marshall in 1970 with a degree in Speech and Physical Education, and also earned a Master’s degree in Principles of Guidance from Marshall in 1972.In addition to brother Mike, father Lewis is a legendary high school basketball coach in West Virginia
West Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian and Southeastern regions of the United States, bordered by Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Ohio to the northwest, Pennsylvania to the northeast and Maryland to the east...
and Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
, and was inducted into West Virginia’s Sports Hall of Fame in May 2004.
Dan is the father of three sons, all of whom played collegiate basketball: Matt played at Brown; Andrew attended Army
Army Black Knights men's basketball
The Army Black Knights men's basketball team represents the United States Military Academy in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I college basketball. Army currently competes as a member of the Patriot League and plays its home games at Christl Arena in West Point, New York.Army is...
and later served 3½ years in Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
, rising to the rank of captain in the U.S. Army; and Nick attended William & Mary
William & Mary Tribe men's basketball
The William & Mary Tribe men's basketball team represents The College of William & Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia in NCAA Division I competition. The school's team competes in the Colonial Athletic Association and play their home games in Kaplan Arena....
, where he was captain of the basketball team. Dan and wife Vanessa are also parents of daughter Morgan. The D’Antoni family resides in Mount Kisco, New York
Mount Kisco, New York
Mount Kisco is a community that is both a village and a town in Westchester County, New York, United States. The Town of Mount Kisco is coterminous with the village. The population was 10,877 at the 2010 census.- History :...
.