Dave Cowens

Dave Cowens is a retired professional basketball player in the National Basketball Association. He also served as a head coach and an assistant coach for various NBA Teams. As a player, Cowens won the NBA Championship twice while playing for the Boston Celtics and was named the NBA Most Valuable Player in 1973.

Player Profile and Personal Life

David William Cowens was born on October 25, 1948, in Newport, Kentucky in the United States of America. He stands 206 cm tall and his weight was last listed at 104 kg. He has made his mark as a center and a power forward.

He married his wife Debby in 1978. They have two daughters together.

High School and College Career

He attended Newport Catholic High School before committing to play college basketball for Florida State University.

Cowens played college-level basketball at Florida State from 1967 to 1970 where he scored 1,479 points from 78 games and was named The Sporting News All-America second team. The Florida State Seminoles later retired his jersey number in his honor.

Professional Career

He was drafted into the NBA during the 1970 NBA Draft, selected by the Boston Celtics as fourth overall in the first round.

He would go on to play for the Celtics from 1970 to 1980. In that time, he helped the team win two NBA Championships – in 1974 and 1976. The year prior to his first NBA Championship win, he was named the NBA Most Valuable Player.

While with the Celtics, he was also named an NBA All-Star a total of eight times. In 1973, he was even named as the NBA All-Star MVP. Also, in his first year with the team, he was named the NBA Rookie of the Year and he was named to the NBA All-Rookie Team.

He retired from the NBA in 1980. The Celtics retired his jersey number. Then in 1982, he came back for a season to play for the Milwaukee Bucks.

Coaching Career

He started his coaching career while he was still playing for the Celtics, coaching the team from 1978 to 1979.

Cowens returned to coaching in 1984 and coached the Bay State Bombadiers. From 1994 to 1996, he worked as an assistant coach for the San Antonio Spurs. Then from 1996 to 1999, he coached the Charlotte Hornets. From 2000 to 2001, he coached the Golden State Warriors.

He took time off coaching after 2001 and only came back in 2006 when he coached the Chicago Sky. His last coaching stint was from 2006 to 2009 where he was an assistant coach for the Detroit Pistons.

Career Highlights

• 1974, 1976 - NBA champion
• 1973 - NBA Most Valuable Player
• 1972–1978, 1980 - NBA All-Star
• 1973 - NBA All-Star Game MVP
• 1973, 1975, 1976 - All-NBA Second Team
• 1976 - NBA All-Defensive First Team
• 1975, 1980 - NBA All-Defensive Second Team
• 1971 - NBA Rookie of the Year
• 1971 - NBA All-Rookie Team

• NBA anniversary team (50th, 75th)
• No. 18 retired by the Boston Celtics
• No. 13 retired by Florida State Seminoles

NBA Career Playing Statistics

• Points - 3,516 (17.6 ppg)
• Rebounds - 10,444 (13.6 rpg)
• Assists - 2,910 (3.8 apg)

Career Coaching Record

• NBA - 161–191 (.457)

• Basketball Hall of Fame as a player, 1991
• College Basketball Hall of Fame, 2006

Team History:

As a coach:

• 1978–1979 - Boston Celtics
• 1984–1985 - Bay State Bombardiers
• 1994–1996 - San Antonio Spurs (assistant)
• 1996–1999 - Charlotte Hornets
• 2000–2001 - Golden State Warriors
• 2006 - Chicago Sky
• 2006–2009 - Detroit Pistons (assistant)