Steve Lavin
 | |
Steve Lavin (born September 4,1964), a San Francisco, California native is a former college basketball coach and current ABC and ESPN TV analyst. As UCLA head basketball coach from 1996-2003, Lavin compiled a record of 145-78.
Assistant Coaching
Lavin's basketball career began in 1988 when he was hired as a graduate assistant by legendary Big Ten Purdue head coach Gene Keady. After three years of experience on the Boilermakers' staff, Lavin was offered an opportunity to come back west when UCLA head coach Jim Harrick hired him as a Bruin assistant in 1991. Lavin was an assistant coach on the Bruins 1995 National Championship team that finished with a 32-1 record.
Head coaching
On November 6, 1996 UCLA coach Jim Harrick was fired by the school administration amid recruiting violations and Lavin was immediately promoted to the position of interim head coach. Lavin had spent five years as an assistant on the Bruins' staff, before being promoted to interim head coach just weeks before the start of 1996-1997 college basketball season. Later that same season on Feb. 11, 1997, with the Bruins tied for first place in the Pac-10 with a conference record of 8-3, Lavin was rewarded by having the interim tag lifted to become UCLA’s 11th head coach in school history. After Lavin was named permanent head coach, the Bruins won their next 11 games. In his inaugural season as head coach, Lavin directed the Bruins to the 1997 Pac-10 Championship and the NCAA Elite Eight with an overall record of 24-8.
During Lavin’s tenure as head coach, the Bruins qualified for six consecutive NCAA Tournaments (1997-2002). During this period, Lavin became one of two coaches (along Duke’s Mike Krzyzewski) to have led his team to five NCAA Sweet 16s in six seasons, a feat on which he and his proponents still hang his reputation, though one must consider that he began most of those years ranked in the top 10, top 5, or projected preseason to the Final Four on those teams' future NBA talent alone. Lavin’s record in the first and second rounds of the NCAA tournament is 10-1. Lavin’s winning percentage (90.9%) in the first two rounds, is second only to Dean Smith in NCAA Tournament history.
In seven seasons as head coach Lavin’s record was 12-4 in games involving overtime. In one stretch (1997-2002) Lavin’s Bruins compiled nine consecutive overtime victories, including victories over Arizona, Cincinnati (2002 NCAA second round double overtime victory over No. 1 West Region seed), Kentucky, and over then #1 ranked Stanford).
Lavin directed his Bruin teams to victory over the No. 1 team in the country in four consecutive collegiate seasons (Arizona ’03, Kansas ’02, Stanford ’01, and Stanford ’00). Lavin is also the only coach at UCLA to coach the Bruins to a loss in an NCAA tournament game played in the State of California.
As head coach at UCLA, Lavin and his staff recruited and signed the No. 1 rated recruiting class in the country in 1998 and 2001. Lavin signed seven McDonald’s High School All-Americans. Seven of Lavin’s former Bruin recruits are currently roster members of NBA teams: Trevor Ariza (Los Angeles Lakers), Matt Barnes (Phoenix Suns), Baron Davis (Golden State Warriors), Dan Gadzuric (Milwaukee Bucks), Ryan Hollins (Charlotte Bobcats), Jason Kapono (Toronto Raptors), and Earl Watson (Seattle SuperSonics). As a result, the Bruins have the longest collegiate streak in the country of consecutive years having a player drafted to the NBA.
As both an assistant and head coach, Lavin participated in 13 consecutive NCAA tournament appearances (1990-2002), while working at Purdue University and UCLA.
Throughout the course of his tenure at UCLA, Lavin was also responsible for some of the most devastating losses in UCLA history, and recruiting suffered. In Spring 2002, UCLA students banded together and created www.LoseLavin.com in an effort "Save Bruin Basketball." Their "Lose Lavin" t-shirts flooded Pauley Pavilion and made national sports headlines. In March of 2003, having had his first losing season (10-19) as a head coach (breaking UCLA's 54-year winning streak), was relieved of his position.
Despite being dismissed by the University over five years ago, there is still a large and active internet-based Steve Lavin Fan Club known as "The Lavinistas". This contingent of supporters are now the most vocal critics of UCLA's new coach. Ben Howland has led UCLA to three straight Final Fours, yet the Lavinistas have criticized him for not winnning "the Big One," the national championship.[citation needed]
ABC and ESPN TV Career
After being relieved of his duties at UCLA, Lavin shortly thereafter agreed to a multi-year broadcasting deal with ABC and ESPN. Lavin makes regular appearances on ESPN College GameNight and also provides color-commentary alongside his partner Brent Musburger at Primetime College games around the country. Lavin’s broadcast analyst perspective was forged over 15 years as a Division I college basketball coach at both UCLA and Purdue University. He is known for catchy phrases such as "paralysis of analysis", referring to over-thinking the game of basketball rather than just going out on the court and playing, as well as getting "bonked in the honker" which means getting hit in the nose during gameplay. He is also known for his catchy nicknames, such as "O-Hawk" referring to the Ohio State forward Othello Hunter and his mohawk haircut. Steve Lavin is frequently an invited keynote speaker throughout the country for business, community and collegiate events.
Coaching Opportunities
In April 2006, Lavin strongly considered a return to the coaching ranks when presented with the opportunity to become the head basketball coach of the North Carolina State University Wolfpack. Lavin instead chose to continue his broadcasting career and signed a new six year contract with ABC and ESPN that will keep him with the network through 2012.
In December 2007, Lavin was rumored to be considering returning to his hometown of San Francisco and coaching at the University of San Francisco starting in the 2008-2009 season.