 Hollins in Vancouver during a 2010 pre-season game | |
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | (1953-10-19)October 19, 1953 (age 72) Arkansas City, Kansas, U.S. |
| Listed height | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) |
| Listed weight | 185 lb (84 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school | Rancho (North Las Vegas, Nevada) |
| College |
|
| NBA draft | 1975: 1st round, 6th overall pick |
| Drafted by | Portland Trail Blazers |
| Playing career | 1975–1985 |
| Position | Point guard |
| Number | 14, 9 |
| Coaching career | 1985–present |
| Career history | |
Playing | |
| 1975–1980 | Portland Trail Blazers |
| 1980–1982 | Philadelphia 76ers |
| 1982–1983 | San Diego Clippers |
| 1983–1984 | Detroit Pistons |
| 1984–1985 | Houston Rockets |
Coaching | |
| 1985–1988 | Arizona State (assistant) |
| 1988–1995 | Phoenix Suns (assistant) |
| 1995–1999 | Vancouver Grizzlies (assistant) |
| 1999–2000 | Vancouver Grizzlies (interim) |
| 2000–2001 | Las Vegas Silver Bandits |
| 2002 | Saint Louis Skyhawks |
| 2002–2007 | Memphis Grizzlies (assistant) |
| 2004 | Memphis Grizzlies (interim) |
| 2008–2009 | Milwaukee Bucks (assistant) |
| 2009–2013 | Memphis Grizzlies |
| 2014–2016 | Brooklyn Nets |
| 2019–2021 | Los Angeles Lakers (assistant) |
| 2022–2023 | Houston Rockets (assistant) |
| Career highlights | |
As assistant coach: | |
| Career statistics | |
| Points | 7,809 (11.6 ppg) |
| Assists | 3,006 (4.5 apg) |
| Steals | 1,053 (1.6 spg) |
Stats at NBA.com  | |
| Stats atBasketball Reference | |
Lionel Eugene Hollins (born October 19, 1953) is an American professionalbasketball coach and former player who most recently served as an assistant coach for theHouston Rockets of theNational Basketball Association (NBA). Apoint guard, Hollins played for thePortland Trail Blazers, winning anNBA championship in 1977 and named anNBA All-Star in 1978. The Trail Blazersretired his No. 14.
During his ten-year NBA career playing as apoint guard he played for five teams, averaging 11.6 points and 4.5 assists per game.In 1974 Lionel suffered a serious injury from a moped crash when a bicyclist collided. Fortunately this did not affect his career, but ultimately his left pinky and ring finger never healed correctly.
Drafted by thePortland Trail Blazers with the sixth pick of the1975 NBA draft out ofArizona State University, Hollins was bestowedAll-Rookie first team honors that season, averaging 10.8 points in 78 games for the Blazers. Prior to his two seasons at Arizona State, he played two years[1] atDixie College inSt. George, Utah.[2]
He graduated from Arizona State University in 1986 with a degree in sociology.
He was a member of Trail Blazers' 1976–77championship team, and made his onlyAll-Star Game appearance one year later. He was a member of the NBA All-Defensive team twice, in 1978 and 1979.
On April 18, 2007, thePortland Trail Blazers retired his #14 jersey.
After retiring as a player, Hollins returned to his alma mater to serve as an assistant coach at Arizona State in 1985, and stayed until 1988,[1] whenCotton Fitzsimmons brought him on to his new staff with thePhoenix Suns.
In hisfirst season with Phoenix, the Suns saw a 27-game improvement from their previous year, as they advanced to the Western Conference Finals and Fitzsimmons was namedCoach of the Year.Kevin Johnson, who wonMost Improved Player that season, credited Hollins with his development into one of the all-time great Suns players.[3]
Hollins assistant coach tenure was during arguably the most successful time period for the Suns; joining a team that had missed the playoffs three straight years, the Suns exceeded 53 wins and only failed to get out of the first round of the playoffs once in his seven seasons there. His run in Phoenix was highlighted by a 62–20 season in 1992–93, led by new head coachPaul Westphal and league MVPCharles Barkley, culminating in anNBA Finals appearance where they would lose to the Chicago Bulls.
In 1995, Hollins was named to the inaugural coaching staff of the expansionVancouver Grizzlies. On December 16, 1999, Hollins was named interim coach of the Grizzlies following the midseason firing ofBrian Hill.[4] Despite popularity with the players,[5] Hollins was not retained as coach at season's end. Though not a full season and on an interim basis, this was the first of three different stints for Hollins as Grizzlies coach.
In 2000, Hollins served as head coach theLas Vegas Silver Bandits of theInternational Basketball League (IBL) in the league's second season. Despite the second best record in the IBL at 20–11 at the time, on March 13, 2001, the Bandits folded[6] (and following the conclusion of the 2000–01 season, the IBL did too).
Hollins next served as an assistant coach for theHarlem Globetrotters during their 2001 Fall College Exhibition Series. He served as head coach for theSt. Louis SkyHawks of theUnited States Basketball League (USBL) in 2002.[7]
In 2002, Hollins returned to the Grizzlies as an assistant coach, though the team was nowlocated in Memphis. He served in this role until 2007, including a four-game stint as interim coach in 2004. On May 14, 2008, Hollins was hired as one ofMilwaukee Bucks head coachScott Skiles' assistants.[8]
On January 25, 2009, Hollins was named the Grizzlies' head coach; this would be his third time as the Grizzlies' head coach, but the first time that was not on an interim basis.[9] With the Grizzlies were coming off consecutive 22–60 seasons, Hollins focused on retooling the roster with players who play his "hard nosed" style, ushering in what would be known as the "Grit and Grind" era.
His first move as coach was movingMike Conley andMarc Gasol to the starting lineup. In his first offseason, Memphis would acquireZach Randolph andTony Allen, both of whom Hollins saw as perfect fits for his brand of basketball. All four players would enjoy successful runs in Memphis.
On February 11, 2011, Hollins won his 100th career victory, as coach of the Memphis Grizzlies, in an 89–86 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks.[10] That season, he led his team to a 46–36 record, earning the eighth seed in the playoffs. The Grizzlies defeated the number-one seedSan Antonio Spurs, earning their first playoff series win in franchise history and becoming just the fourth eighth seed in league history to win a playoffs series against a number one seed. They would lose to theOklahoma City Thunder in seven games in the Western Conference semifinals.
In the lockout-shortened2011–12 NBA season, Hollins' Grizzlies finished the season with a 41–25 record and the best winning percentage in franchise history (.621). After guiding the Grizzlies to a 13–3 record during the month of April, Hollins was named April's Coach of the Month.[11] This streak helped the Grizzlies earn the four seed in the Western Conference, with home court advantage for the first time in franchise history. They lost in the first round to theLos Angeles Clippers in seven games.
In 2012–2013, Hollins led Memphis to a franchise record 56-win season, breaking the winning percentage record they had set the previous season (now at .683).Marc Gasol was namedDefensive Player of the Year as the Grizzlies held opponents to 89.3 points per game.[12]
The Grizzlies avenged the previous playoffs and defeated the Los Angeles Clippers in six games in the first round. In the second round, they defeated the top-seeded and defending Western Conference championOklahoma City Thunder in five games. Though attributed to Oklahoma City being without superstar point guardRussell Westbrook for the series, Memphis advanced to their first conference finals in team history. However, a four-game sweep to the experiencedSan Antonio Spurs ended the Grizzlies' season and playoff run.
It was announced that Hollins' contract would not be renewed by the team on June 10, 2013. He stands as the Grizzlies' most successful coach, having improved the team's record almost every season. He led them to three straight playoff appearances, their first playoff win, a franchise best .683 winning percentage, and the first playoff series victory in franchise history.[13] As of 2024, the Grizzlies have not been back to the conference finals since Hollins departure.
On July 2, 2014, Hollins and the Brooklyn Nets reached an agreement for him to serve as the team's head coach for the next four seasons.[14][15] On July 7, 2014, he was officially introduced by the Nets at a press conference.[16] In his first season as head coach, he guided the Nets to theplayoffs. On January 10, 2016, he was relieved of his head coaching duties by the Nets after starting the 2015–16 season with a 10–27 record.[17]
On July 31, 2019, theLos Angeles Lakers hired Hollins as an assistant coach.[18][19] Hollins won his 2nd championship on October 11, 2020, when the Lakers defeated theMiami Heat in the2020 NBA Finals in 6 games.
On July 3, 2022, theHouston Rockets hired Hollins as an assistant coach.[20]
Hollins's son,Austin Hollins, playedcollege basketball for theUniversity of Minnesota'smen's basketball team.[21] His son has also played professionally in theEuroLeague.
His other son, Anthony, played Division III basketball for the at-the-time top-ranked team in the country, Washington University in St. Louis Bears. He's now an orthopedic surgeon.
| 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 |
| † | Won anNBA championship |
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1975–76 | Portland | 74 | 25.6 | .421 | – | .721 | 2.4 | 4.1 | 1.8 | .4 | 10.8 | |
| 1976–77† | Portland | 76 | 29.3 | .432 | – | .749 | 2.8 | 4.1 | 2.2 | .5 | 14.7 | |
| 1977–78 | Portland | 81 | 33.8 | .442 | – | .743 | 3.4 | 4.7 | 1.9 | .4 | 15.9 | |
| 1978–79 | Portland | 64 | 30.7 | .454 | – | .778 | 2.3 | 5.1 | 1.8 | .4 | 15.3 | |
| 1979–80 | Portland | 20 | 20.7 | .385 | .100 | .642 | 1.0 | 2.5 | 1.5 | .1 | 10.0 | |
| 1979–80 | Philadelphia | 27 | 29.5 | .415 | .200 | .770 | 2.6 | 4.1 | 1.7 | .3 | 12.2 | |
| 1980–81 | Philadelphia | 82 | 26.3 | .470 | .133 | .731 | 2.3 | 4.3 | 1.3 | .2 | 9.5 | |
| 1981–82 | Philadelphia | 81 | 81 | 27.9 | .477 | .125 | .702 | 2.3 | 3.9 | 1.3 | .2 | 11.0 |
| 1982–83 | San Diego | 56 | 54 | 32.9 | .437 | .143 | .721 | 2.3 | 6.7 | 2.0 | .3 | 13.5 |
| 1983–84 | Detroit | 32 | 0 | 6.8 | .381 | .000 | .846 | .7 | 1.9 | .4 | .0 | 1.8 |
| 1984–85 | Houston | 80 | 60 | 24.4 | .461 | .231 | .794 | 2.2 | 5.2 | 1.0 | .1 | 7.6 |
| Career | 673 | 27.4 | .444 | .149 | .741 | 2.4 | 4.5 | 1.6 | .3 | 11.6 | ||
| All-Star | 1 | 0 | 23.0 | .375 | – | .800 | .0 | 8.0 | 2.0 | .0 | 10.0 | |
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1977† | Portland | 19 | — | 35.9 | .417 | – | .682 | 2.7 | 4.5 | 2.5 | .3 | 17.3 |
| 1978 | Portland | 6 | — | 37.2 | .449 | – | .690 | 4.8 | 5.5 | 1.2 | .0 | 16.7 |
| 1979 | Portland | 3 | — | 22.0 | .308 | – | .714 | 1.0 | 1.7 | 1.0 | .0 | 7.0 |
| 1980 | Philadelphia | 18 | — | 34.3 | .416 | .000 | .794 | 3.9 | 6.3 | 1.5 | .2 | 13.8 |
| 1981 | Philadelphia | 16 | — | 30.6 | .441 | .000 | .784 | 2.1 | 4.1 | 1.1 | .1 | 10.2 |
| 1982 | Philadelphia | 8 | — | 14.3 | .306 | .000 | .667 | 1.1 | 3.1 | 1.1 | .1 | 4.3 |
| 1984 | Detroit | 2 | — | 3.0 | .000 | – | – | .0 | .0 | .0 | .5 | .0 |
| 1985 | Houston | 5 | 1 | 18.8 | .308 | – | 1.000 | 1.8 | 3.6 | .8 | .0 | 3.4 |
| Career | 77 | — | 29.8 | .411 | .000 | .733 | 2.7 | 4.5 | 1.5 | .1 | 11.8 | |
| Regular season | G | Games coached | W | Games won | L | Games lost | W–L % | Win–loss % |
| Playoffs | PG | Playoff games | PW | Playoff wins | PL | Playoff losses | PW–L % | Playoff win–loss % |
| Team | Year | G | W | L | W–L% | Finish | PG | PW | PL | PW–L% | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vancouver | 1999–00 | 60 | 18 | 42 | .300 | 7th in Midwest | — | — | — | — | Missed Playoffs |
| Memphis | 2004–05 | 4 | 0 | 4 | .000 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Memphis | 2008–09 | 39 | 13 | 26 | .333 | 5th in Southwest | — | — | — | — | Missed Playoffs |
| Memphis | 2009–10 | 82 | 40 | 42 | .488 | 4th in Southwest | — | — | — | — | Missed Playoffs |
| Memphis | 2010–11 | 82 | 46 | 36 | .561 | 4th in Southwest | 13 | 7 | 6 | .538 | Lost inConf. Semifinals |
| Memphis | 2011–12 | 66 | 41 | 25 | .621 | 2nd in Southwest | 7 | 3 | 4 | .429 | Lost inFirst round |
| Memphis | 2012–13 | 82 | 56 | 26 | .683 | 2nd in Southwest | 15 | 8 | 7 | .533 | Lost inConf. Finals |
| Brooklyn | 2014–15 | 82 | 38 | 44 | .463 | 3rd in Atlantic | 6 | 2 | 4 | .333 | Lost inFirst round |
| Brooklyn | 2015–16 | 37 | 10 | 27 | .270 | (fired) | — | — | — | — | — |
| Career | 534 | 262 | 272 | .491 | 41 | 20 | 21 | .488 | |||
· Basketball Reference