Paul Westphal

Paul Westphal was a retired professional basketball player and coach in the National Basketball Association. As a player, he became an NBA Champion in 1974 while playing for the Boston Celtics. As a coach, he was named the NBA All-Star Game Head Coach twice.

He also led the Grand Canyon University men’s basketball team to the NAIA Championship in 1988.

Player Profile and Personal Life

Paul Douglas Westphal was born on November 30, 1950, in Torrance, California in the United States of America. He stands 193 cm tall and his weight was last listed at 88 kg. He is right-handed and he played shooting guard and point guard.

He married Cindy Westphal and they had two kids together. Westphal died on January 2, 2021, after a battle with brain cancer.

High School and College Career

He attended Aviation High School in Redondo Beach, California. In 1968, he was named the National High School Player of the Year. Later, he played college basketball for the University of Southern California and was there from 1969 to 1972.

While in college, he was named to the Second-team All-American by the Associated Press. The USC Trojans retired his jersey number in his honor.

Professional Career

He turned pro in 1972. Westphal was selected in the 1st round as the 10th overall pick of the 1972 NBA Draft, Selected by the Boston Celtics. He played for the Celtics from 1972 to 1975. In 1974, he helped the Celtics win the NBA Championship that year.

In 1975, he was traded to the Phoenix Suns. In 1977, he was named an NBA All-Star for the first time. He would be named an All-Star for five straight seasons from 1977 to 1981.

From 1980 to 1981, he played for the Seattle Supersonics, and from 1982 to 1983, he was with the New York Knicks. For his last season in the NBA, he returned to the Suns. In that finals season with the Suns, he was the 1983 NBA Comeback Player of the Year.

Coaching Career

Right after retiring from playing, he started coaching. From 1985 to 1986, he coached the then-Southwestern Baptist Bible College. Then from 1986 to 1988, he coached the Grand Canyon University, leading them to the 1988 NAIA Championship.

He returned to the NBA in 1988, as an assistant coach for the Phoenix Suns. In 1992, he was promoted to the Suns’ head coach. In 1993 and 1995, he was named the NBA All-Star Game Head Coach.

From 1998 to 2000, he coached the Seattle Supersonics and then left the NBA to start coaching Pepperdine University and was there from 2001 to 2006. He returned to the NBA as an assistant coach for the Dallas Mavericks.

In 2009, he was named the head coach of the Sacramento Kings. From 2014 to 2016, he was an assistant coach for the Brooklyn Nets.

Career Highlights

As a player:

• 1974 - NBA champion
• 1977–1981 - NBA All-Star
• 1977, 1979, 1980 - All-NBA First Team
• 1978 - All-NBA Second Team
• 1983 - NBA Comeback Player of the Year

• No. 44 retired by the Phoenix Suns

• 1971 - Second-team All-American – AP
• 1972 - Second-team All-American – NABC
• 1971 - Third-team All-American – NABC
• 1971, 1972 - Third-team All-American – UPI
• 1970, 1971 - First-team All-Pac-8
• 1972 - Second-team All-Pac-8

• No. 25 retired by USC Trojans

• 1968 - National high school player of the year

As a coach:

• 1993, 1995 - NBA All-Star Game head coach
• 1988 - NAIA champion
• 2002 - WCC regular-season champion

Playing Career Statistics

• Points - 12,809 (15.6 ppg)
• Assists 3,591 (4.4 apg)
• Steals 1,022 (1.3 spg)

Coaching Career Record

• NBA - 318–279 (.533)
• College - 159–98 (.619)

• Basketball Hall of Fame as a player, 2019
• College Basketball Hall of Fame, 2018

Team History:

As a coach:

• 1985–1986 - Southwestern Baptist Bible
• 1986–1988 - Grand Canyon
• 1988–1992 - Phoenix Suns (assistant)
• 1992–1995 - Phoenix Suns
• 1998–2000 - Seattle SuperSonics
• 2001–2006 - Pepperdine
• 2007–2008 - Dallas Mavericks (assistant)
• 2009–2012 - Sacramento Kings
• 2014–2016 - Brooklyn Nets (assistant)