Eric Musselman Season 2024-25
Eric Musselman, with a long coaching resume’ that includes two NBA head coaching stints, is the newest member of the LSU coaching staff of Johnny Jones, joining the staff in June 2014.
The son of former NBA head coach Bill Musselman, the 49-year-old has served as head coach in the Continental Basketball Association (CBA), the United States Basketball League (USBL) and NBADL along with stints as head coach for two NBA clubs. He comes to LSU after serving two years as an assistant/associate head coach at Arizona State.
He joins Loyola-Marymount head coach Mike Dunlap, Kentucky Head Coach John Calipari, Louisville’s Rick Pitino and Utah head coach Larry Krystkowiak as the only former NBA head coaches today working in NCAA basketball.
The Musselman’s were the first father and son combination to both become NBA head coaches.
Eric Musselman was the youngest head coach in CBA history (23) when he began coaching the Rapid City Thrillers in 1989. He won 270 games with both Rapid City (1989-95) and Florida/West Palm Beach (1996-97) and was the fastest coach to win 100 pro games at the age of 28.
His teams won six division titles and reached the postseason in each of his seven seasons. A total of 24 of his players eventually reached the NBA. He was named CBA all-star coach five times.
In between CBA stints was two years with the Florida Sharks, going 53-3 with a USBL championship and USBL Coach of the Year honors.
He served his NBA assistantships under coaches such as Chuck Daly and Doc Rivers and in 2002 was named the head coach of the Golden State Warriors. He served two years in that position, earning runnerup in voting for NBA Coach of the Year for the 02-03 season. That season, the Warriors, won 38 games, the most wins in more than 10 years.
After a year with the Memphis Grizzlies under Mike Fratello, Musselman was named head coach of the Sacramento Kings prior to the 2006-07 season.
After serving as a basketball analyst for several radio and television networks, he returned to a head coaching role in the NBADL with the Reno Bighorns (2010-11) and the LA D-Fenders (2011-12), earning league Coach of the Year honors in 2012.
While in the D League, he had NBA Callups of such players as Jeremy Lin, Danny Green, Steve Novak in Reno and Gerald Green, Malcolm Thomas, Darius Morris, Jamario Moon ad Courtney Fortson at Los Angeles. The D-Fenders own the NBADL Development Award.
In his two years at Arizona State, the Sun Devils won 43 games, advancing to the second round of the NIT in 2013 and to the NCAA Tournament in 2014.
The turnaround from 2012 to 2013 for the Sun Devils was 12 wins and a return to postseason play for the first time in three years. He was promoted to Associate Head Coach prior to the 2013-14 season and Musselman was responsible for opponent scouting, on-court player development and recruiting.
Musselman coached NBA 2013 second-round draft pick Carrick Felix, as well as Pac 12 2012-13 Co-Freshman of the Year Jahii Carson and the nation’s leading shot blocker in 2013-14 Jordan Bachynski.
Musselman’s resume’ also includes successful stints as head coach with the Dominican Republic National Team (2010-11); The US and Team China in the Adidas Global Experience (2009, 2010) and the Venezuela National Team (2011-13).
Musselman was born on Nov. 19, 1964 in Ashland, Ohio. He attended high school in Brecksville, a suburb about 15 miles south of Cleveland. Musselman graduated from the University of San Diego where in his senior season of 1986-87 the team compiled a 24-6 record, losing in the first round of the NCAA Tournament to Auburn. In all, the Toreros played in two NCAA Tournaments and he was a three-time member of the West Coast Athletic Conference All-Academic squad.
Musselman is married to Danyelle Sargent Musselman (who has been a broadcaster with ESPN, Fox Sports and the NFL Network) and they have two sons (Michael, 18; Matthew, 13) and a daughter (Mariah 4).
The Musselman File
Year at LSU: First
Birth Date: November 19, 1964
Age: 49
Hometown: Ashland, Ohio
Wife: Danyelle
Children: Michael (18); Matthew (13); Mariah (4)
Professional Head Coaching Experience
1989-95: Rapid City Thrillers (CBA)
1995-96: Florida Sharks (USBL)
1996-97: Florida/W. Palm Beach Dogs (CBA)
2002-04: Golden State Warriors (NBA)
2006-07: Sacramento Kings (NBA)
2010-11: Reno Bighorns (NBADL)
2011-12: Los Angeles D-Fenders (NBADL)
College Coach Experience
2012-13: Assistant Coach, Arizona State
2013-14: Associate Head Coach, Arizona State
June 2014-: Associate Coach, LSU