Mike Thibault
Encyclopedia
Mike Francis Thibault is an American basketball
head coach
, most recently of the Connecticut Sun
of the WNBA
.
in 1979, Thibault entered into the employ of the Los Angeles Lakers
of the National Basketball Association
, for whom he worked first as a scout
and, after 1980
, as director of scouting and as an assistant coach; during Thibault's tenure, the Lakers twice won the league championship
.
Thibault left the Lakers for the Chicago Bulls
in 1982
and remained with the latter organization through the 1985-86 season
, serving as an assistant coach and director of scouting; under Thibault, the team drafted shooting guard
Michael Jordan
and power forward
Charles Oakley
and acquired John Paxson
, each of whom would contribute to the Bulls' earning six league championships between 1991 and 1999
.
Thibault left the NBA for the World Basketball League
in 1988
and served for two seasons as the head coach and franchise general manager
for the Calgary 88's, winning the league's coach of the year award in 1988.
In 1989
, Thibault began an eight-year stint as general manager and head coach of the Omaha Racers of the Continental Basketball Association
, in which capacity he led the team to the league playoff
s in each season; his team claimed the 1993
championship and once more reached the league finals one year thence
.
Contemporaneously, Thibault worked for USA Basketball
as a coach for the United States national team
, leading the national side to a gold medal
at the 1993
FIBA World Championship
qualifying tournament and a silver medal
at the 1995
Pan American Games
.
Thibault returned to the NBA during the league's 1997-98
season and, through 2003
, served as a scout and assistant coach for each of the Atlanta Hawks
, New York Knicks
, and Seattle SuperSonics
; most prominently, Thibault spent four seasons with the Milwaukee Bucks as an advisor and assistant to George Karl
.
Thibault was hired by the Sun in March 2003 to replace Dee Brown; Thibault garnered the WNBA Coach of the Year Award
subsequent to the 2006 season
, when he led the Sun to the Eastern Conference finals.
, and is a member of the Sun coaching staff and a daughter Carly who is a freshman basketball player at Monmouth University
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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...
head coach
Head coach
A head coach, senior coach or manager is a professional at training and developing athletes. They typically hold a more public profile and are paid more than other coaches...
, most recently of the Connecticut Sun
Connecticut Sun
The Connecticut Sun is a professional basketball team based in Uncasville, Connecticut, playing in the Eastern Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was founded in Orlando, Florida before the 1999 season began; the team moved to Connecticut before the 2003 season...
of the WNBA
Women's National Basketball Association
The Women's National Basketball Association is a women's professional basketball league in the United States. It currently is composed of twelve teams. The league was founded on April 24, 1996 as the women's counterpart to the National Basketball Association...
.
Career
Upon his graduation from Saint Martin's UniversitySaint Martin's University
Saint Martin's University is a coeducational, Catholic, liberal arts university in the United States. Located in Lacey, Washington, it was founded in 1895 as an all-boys boarding school by monks of the Benedictine Order. Saint Martin's began offering college-level courses in 1900 and became a...
in 1979, Thibault entered into the employ of the Los Angeles Lakers
Los Angeles Lakers
The Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
of the National Basketball Association
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...
, for whom he worked first as a scout
Scout (sport)
In professional sports, scouts are trained talent evaluators who travel extensively for the purposes of watching athletes play their chosen sports and determining whether their set of skills and talents represent what is needed by the scout's organization...
and, after 1980
1980 in sports
1980 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.-Alpine skiing:* Alpine Skiing World Cup:** Men's overall season champion: Andreas Wenzel, Liechtenstein** Women's overall season champion: Hanni Wenzel, Liechtenstein...
, as director of scouting and as an assistant coach; during Thibault's tenure, the Lakers twice won the league championship
NBA Finals
The NBA Finals is the championship series of the National Basketball Association . The series was named the NBA World Championship Series until 1986....
.
Thibault left the Lakers for the Chicago Bulls
Chicago Bulls
The Chicago Bulls are an American professional basketball team based in Chicago, Illinois, playing in the Central Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was founded in 1966. They play their home games at the United Center...
in 1982
1982 in sports
1982 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.-Alpine skiing:* Alpine Skiing World Cup:** Men's overall season champion: Phil Mahre, United States** Women's overall season champion: Erika Hess, Switzerland-American football:...
and remained with the latter organization through the 1985-86 season
1985-86 NBA season
-Statistics leaders:-NBA awards:*Most Valuable Player: Larry Bird, Boston Celtics*Rookie of the Year: Patrick Ewing, New York Knicks*Defensive Player of the Year: Alvin Robertson, San Antonio Spurs...
, serving as an assistant coach and director of scouting; under Thibault, the team drafted shooting guard
Shooting guard
The shooting guard , also known as the two or off guard, is one of five traditional positions on a basketball team. Players of the position are often shorter, leaner, and quicker than forwards. A shooting guard's main objective is to score points for his team...
Michael Jordan
Michael Jordan
Michael Jeffrey Jordan is a former American professional basketball player, active entrepreneur, and majority owner of the Charlotte Bobcats...
and power forward
Power forward (basketball)
Power forward is a position in the sport of basketball. The position is referred to in playbook terms as the four position and is commonly abbreviated "PF". It has also been referred to as the "post" position. Power forwards play a role similar to that of center in what is called the "post" or "low...
Charles Oakley
Charles Oakley
Charles Oakley is a retired American professional basketball player and is currently an assistant coach for the Charlotte Bobcats of the National Basketball Association...
and acquired John Paxson
John Paxson
John MacBeth Paxson is a retired American basketball player. He is currently the VP of Basketball Operations of the National Basketball Association's Chicago Bulls.-High school career:...
, each of whom would contribute to the Bulls' earning six league championships between 1991 and 1999
1998-99 NBA season
The 1999 NBA season was the 53rd season of the National Basketball Association . Due to a lockout, the season did not start until February 5, 1999 after a new six year Collective Bargaining Agreement was reached between the NBA and the National Basketball Players Association...
.
Thibault left the NBA for the World Basketball League
World Basketball League
World Basketball League was a minor professional basketball league in the United States and Canada. It was founded as the International Basketball Association in November 1987, before changing its name prior to the 1988 season. One of the major differences between it and other leagues was that it...
in 1988
1988 in sports
1988 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.-Alpine skiing:* Alpine Skiing World Cup** Men's overall season champion: Pirmin Zurbriggen, Switzerland** Women's overall season champion: Michela Figini, Switzerland-American football:...
and served for two seasons as the head coach and franchise general manager
General manager
General manager is a descriptive term for certain executives in a business operation. It is also a formal title held by some business executives, most commonly in the hospitality industry.-Generic usage:...
for the Calgary 88's, winning the league's coach of the year award in 1988.
In 1989
1989 in sports
1989 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.-Alpine skiing:* Alpine Skiing World Cup** Men's overall season champion: Marc Girardelli, Luxembourg** Women's overall season champion: Vreni Schneider, Switzerland-American football:...
, Thibault began an eight-year stint as general manager and head coach of the Omaha Racers of the Continental Basketball Association
Continental Basketball Association
The Continental Basketball Association was a professional men's basketball league in the United States, which has been on hiatus since the 2009 season.- History :...
, in which capacity he led the team to the league playoff
Playoff
The playoffs, postseason, or finals of a sports league are a game or series of games played after the regular season by the top competitors, usually but not always with a single-elimination system, to determine the league champion or a similar accolade.In the U.S...
s in each season; his team claimed the 1993
1993 in sports
1993 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.-Alpine skiing:* Alpine Skiing World Cup** Men's overall season champion: Marc Girardelli, Luxembourg** Women's overall season champion: Anita Wachter, Austria-American football:...
championship and once more reached the league finals one year thence
1994 in sports
1994 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.-Alpine skiing:* January 29 – death of Ulrike Maier , Austrian skier, who broke her neck when she crashed during a World Cup downhill race at Garmisch-Partenkirchen...
.
Contemporaneously, Thibault worked for USA Basketball
USA Basketball
USA Basketball is a non-profit organization and the governing body for basketball in the United States. The organization represents the United States in FIBA and the men's and women's national basketball teams in the United States Olympic Committee...
as a coach for the United States national team
United States national basketball team
The United States men's national basketball team represents the United States of America in international men's basketball. The USA is the most successful team in international competition, winning medals in all sixteen Olympic tournaments it has entered, coming away with thirteen golds...
, leading the national side to a gold medal
Gold medal
A gold medal is typically the medal awarded for highest achievement in a non-military field. Its name derives from the use of at least a fraction of gold in form of plating or alloying in its manufacture...
at the 1993
1993 in sports
1993 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.-Alpine skiing:* Alpine Skiing World Cup** Men's overall season champion: Marc Girardelli, Luxembourg** Women's overall season champion: Anita Wachter, Austria-American football:...
FIBA World Championship
FIBA World Championship
The FIBA World Championship is an international basketball competition contested by the men's national teams of the members of the International Basketball Federation , the sport's global governing body...
qualifying tournament and a silver medal
Silver medal
A silver medal is a medal awarded to the second place finisher of contests such as the Olympic Games, Commonwealth Games, and contests with similar formats....
at the 1995
1995 in sports
1995 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.-Alpine skiing:* Alpine Skiing World Cup** Men's overall season champion: Alberto Tomba, Italy** Women's overall season champion: Vreni Schneider, Switzerland-American football:...
Pan American Games
Pan American Games
The Pan-American or Pan American Games are a major event in the Americas featuring summer and formerly winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Pan American Games are the second largest multi-sport event after the Summer Olympics...
.
Thibault returned to the NBA during the league's 1997-98
1997-98 NBA season
The 1997–98 NBA season was the 52nd season of the National Basketball Association. The season ended with the Chicago Bulls winning their third straight championship and sixth in the last eight years, beating the Utah Jazz 4 games to 2 in the 1998 NBA Finals...
season and, through 2003
2003 in sports
2003 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.-Alpine skiing:* Alpine Skiing World Cup** Men's overall season championship: Stephan Eberharter, Austria** Women's overall season championship: Janica Kostelić, Croatia-American football:...
, served as a scout and assistant coach for each of the Atlanta Hawks
Atlanta Hawks
The Atlanta Hawks are an American professional basketball team based in Atlanta, Georgia. They are part of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association .-The first years:...
, 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...
, and Seattle SuperSonics
Seattle SuperSonics
The Seattle SuperSonics were an American professional basketball team based in Seattle, Washington that played in the Pacific and Northwest Divisions of the National Basketball Association from 1967 until 2008. Following the 2007–08 season, the team relocated to Oklahoma City, and now plays as...
; most prominently, Thibault spent four seasons with the Milwaukee Bucks as an advisor and assistant to George Karl
George Karl
George Matthew Karl is a former National Basketball Association and American Basketball Association player. He is the current head coach of the Denver Nuggets. On December 10, 2010 he became the seventh coach in NBA history to record 1,000 wins.-Biography:Karl was born in Penn Hills,...
.
Thibault was hired by the Sun in March 2003 to replace Dee Brown; Thibault garnered the WNBA Coach of the Year Award
WNBA Coach of the Year Award
The Women's National Basketball Association's Coach of the Year is an annual Women's National Basketball Association award given since the league's inaugural season. The winner is selected at the end of regular season by a panel of sportswriters from the United States, each of whom casts a vote...
subsequent to the 2006 season
2006 WNBA season
-External links:*******...
, when he led the Sun to the Eastern Conference finals.
Personal
Mike and his wife Nanci have two children. A son Eric, who will be a senior at the University of MissouriUniversity of Missouri
The University of Missouri System is a state university system providing centralized administration for four universities, a health care system, an extension program, five research and technology parks, and a publishing press. More than 64,000 students are currently enrolled at its four campuses...
, and is a member of the Sun coaching staff and a daughter Carly who is a freshman basketball player at Monmouth University
Monmouth University
Monmouth University is a private university located in West Long Branch, New Jersey, United States.Founded in 1933 as Monmouth Junior College, it became Monmouth College in 1956, and later Monmouth University in 1995 after receiving its charter....
. http://www.wnba.com/coachfile/mike_thibault/index.html?nav=page http://www.gomuhawks.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=67787&SPID=7660&DB_OEM_ID=14300&ATCLID=204801006&Q_SEASON=2009