# Mike D'Antoni
**Mike D'Antoni** (Michael Andrew D'Antoni, born 1951 in Mullens, West Virginia) is an American basketball coach and former player whose fast-paced, spacing-oriented offense with the [Phoenix Suns](https://www.edgepedia.org/phoenix-suns) reshaped NBA play, and who was enshrined in the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in 2026 as a contributor.[1](https://www.wvencyclopedia.org/entries/2305) • [2](https://www.hoophall.com/hall-of-famers/mike-dantoni) In 16 seasons as an NBA head coach with the [Denver Nuggets](https://www.edgepedia.org/denver-nuggets), Phoenix Suns, New York Knicks, Los Angeles Lakers, and [Houston Rockets](https://www.edgepedia.org/houston-rockets), he compiled a 672-527 regular-season record and a 54-56 playoff record, and won NBA Coach of the Year in 2004-05 and 2016-17.[3](https://www.nba.com/news/mike-dantoni-hall-of-fame-2026)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1951, Mullens, West Virginia[1](https://www.wvencyclopedia.org/entries/2305) |
| NBA head coaching record | 672-527 regular season, 54-56 playoffs, over 16 seasons; 22nd on the all-time wins list[3](https://www.nba.com/news/mike-dantoni-hall-of-fame-2026) • [4](https://sports.yahoo.com/nba/article/naismith-memorial-basketball-hall-of-fames-class-of-2026-mike-dantoni-remains-one-of-the-greatest-offensive-minds-in-nba-history-182115814.html) |
| Coach of the Year | 2004-05 (Phoenix) and 2016-17 (Houston), one of only 10 coaches to win it multiple times[3](https://www.nba.com/news/mike-dantoni-hall-of-fame-2026) • [5](https://www.nba.com/news/mike-dantoni-joins-pelicans-coaching-staff-as-advisor) |
| Signature season | 2004-05 Suns: 62-20, league leader in scoring (110.4 ppg), offensive efficiency (114.5 per 100 possessions), and pace (95.9)[3](https://www.nba.com/news/mike-dantoni-hall-of-fame-2026) |
| Deep playoff runs | Three Western Conference Finals trips (Phoenix 2005 and 2006, Houston 2018) among 10 playoff appearances; no NBA championship[6](https://cdn.nba.com/teams/uploads/sites/1610612740/2024/10/2024-25-Pelicans-Media-Guide-v2.pdf) |
| MVP players coached | Steve Nash (two MVP seasons) and James Harden (one)[3](https://www.nba.com/news/mike-dantoni-hall-of-fame-2026) |
| Hall of Fame | Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame, Class of 2026, as a contributor[2](https://www.hoophall.com/hall-of-famers/mike-dantoni) |
| Current role | Coaching advisor for the New Orleans Pelicans since 2020[5](https://www.nba.com/news/mike-dantoni-joins-pelicans-coaching-staff-as-advisor) |
## Playing career in Europe
D'Antoni was drafted in the second round (20th overall) of the 1973 NBA Draft by the Kansas City-Omaha Kings and spent parts of four seasons in the NBA and ABA in the mid-1970s, playing briefly for Doug Moe.[7](https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/d/dantomi01.html) • [3](https://www.nba.com/news/mike-dantoni-hall-of-fame-2026) In 1977 he boarded a plane for Italy and spent roughly the next two decades there, becoming one of the best point guards in Italy's top league and playing for the Italian national team.[2](https://www.hoophall.com/hall-of-famers/mike-dantoni) • [8](https://as.com/baloncesto/nba/steve-nash-y-el-seven-seconds-or-less-la-revolucion-que-transformo-la-nba-n/) A dual citizen of the United States and Italy, he won five Italian League championships and two [EuroLeague](https://www.edgepedia.org/euroleague) titles as a player, and in 2008 Euroleague Basketball named him one of the 50 Greatest Contributors in EuroLeague history.[6](https://cdn.nba.com/teams/uploads/sites/1610612740/2024/10/2024-25-Pelicans-Media-Guide-v2.pdf) • [2](https://www.hoophall.com/hall-of-famers/mike-dantoni)
## Coaching in Italy and return to the NBA
His coaching career began in Italy with [Olimpia Milano](https://www.edgepedia.org/olimpia-milano) (1990-94) and Benetton Basket (1994-97); across eight seasons as a head coach in Italy he compiled a 288-101 record and added two more Italian League titles as a coach.[6](https://cdn.nba.com/teams/uploads/sites/1610612740/2024/10/2024-25-Pelicans-Media-Guide-v2.pdf) • [2](https://www.hoophall.com/hall-of-famers/mike-dantoni) He credited European basketball with shaping his offensive ideas: he valued ballhandling, passing, and shooting from every position, and saw that five skilled players could space the floor and play five-out basketball.[3](https://www.nba.com/news/mike-dantoni-hall-of-fame-2026)
He returned to the United States to coach the Denver Nuggets during the lockout-shortened season, then joined the Phoenix Suns' staff in June 2002 and replaced Frank Johnson midway through the 2003-04 season.[8](https://as.com/baloncesto/nba/steve-nash-y-el-seven-seconds-or-less-la-revolucion-que-transformo-la-nba-n/) • [9](https://ukts.s3.amazonaws.com/store/pdfs/Trener_35-36.pdf) Entering the summer of 2004, his NBA coaching record stood at 35-76.[10](https://www.nba.com/news/mike-dantoni-coaching-style-hall-of-fame-2026)
## Phoenix and "seven seconds or less"
The 2004-05 season transformed his reputation. With [Steve Nash](https://www.edgepedia.org/steve-nash), Amar'e Stoudemire, Shawn Marion, Joe Johnson, and [Quentin Richardson](https://www.edgepedia.org/quentin-richardson), the Suns started 31-4 and finished 62-20, tying the franchise high for wins, and D'Antoni was named [NBA Coach of the Year](https://www.edgepedia.org/nba-coach-of-the-year).[3](https://www.nba.com/news/mike-dantoni-hall-of-fame-2026) • [11](https://nbacoaches.com/rockets-name-mike-dantoni-head-coach/) The team led the league in scoring (110.4 points per game), offensive efficiency (114.5 points per 100 possessions), and pace (95.9 possessions per 48 minutes), and ranked first in 3-pointers made (9.7 per game), attempted (24.7 per game), and percentage (.393).[3](https://www.nba.com/news/mike-dantoni-hall-of-fame-2026) The Suns' scoring average rose 16.2 points per game over the previous season, the largest one-season increase by any team since the shot clock was introduced in 1954-55.[11](https://nbacoaches.com/rockets-name-mike-dantoni-head-coach/)
The label "seven seconds or less," from Jack McCallum's book *:07 Seconds or Less: My Season on the Bench with the Runnin' and Gunnin' Phoenix Suns*, described an attack that usually ended within seven seconds of a possession.[3](https://www.nba.com/news/mike-dantoni-hall-of-fame-2026) Analysts note that pace alone was not the whole idea: the Suns' league-leading pace was only about five possessions faster than the league average, and the lasting innovation was the "space" side of pace-and-space, built on smaller lineups, 3-point shooting, and freedom for skilled guards.[10](https://www.nba.com/news/mike-dantoni-coaching-style-hall-of-fame-2026) The style also benefited from rules changes favoring offense, including restrictions on perimeter hand-checking and defensive three seconds, and from a front office under [Jerry Colangelo](https://www.edgepedia.org/jerry-colangelo) and [Bryan Colangelo](https://www.edgepedia.org/bryan-colangelo) open to his ideas.[3](https://www.nba.com/news/mike-dantoni-hall-of-fame-2026)
Across four seasons in Phoenix (2004-05 through 2007-08) his teams went 232-96 (.707) with back-to-back Western Conference Finals appearances in 2005 and 2006.[11](https://nbacoaches.com/rockets-name-mike-dantoni-head-coach/)
## Knicks, Lakers, and Rockets
D'Antoni was hired as head coach of the [New York Knicks](https://www.edgepedia.org/new-york-knicks) on May 13, 2008, and coached them through 2011-12, posting a 121-167 record; in each of his three full seasons the Knicks finished in the top 10 league-wide in scoring, and in 2010-11 they reached their first winning record in 10 years.[12](https://www.basketball-reference.com/coaches/dantomi01c.html) • [13](https://ak-static-int.nba.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2017/10/2017-18-Media-Guide-Knicks.pdf) • [14](https://ak-static-int.nba.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2016/10/2016-17-Media-Guide-Rockets.pdf) He became the [Los Angeles Lakers](https://www.edgepedia.org/los-angeles-lakers)' head coach on November 12, 2012, the 24th in franchise history, and resigned after two seasons.[12](https://www.basketball-reference.com/coaches/dantomi01c.html) • [15](https://time.com/83787/lakers-coach-resigns/)
The Houston Rockets hired him on June 1, 2016, as the 13th head coach in franchise history.[12](https://www.basketball-reference.com/coaches/dantomi01c.html) • [14](https://ak-static-int.nba.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2016/10/2016-17-Media-Guide-Rockets.pdf) He won his second Coach of the Year award in 2016-17, and his 65-win 2017-18 team led the NBA in offensive efficiency while ranking just 13th in pace, showing that his system rested on spacing as much as speed.[3](https://www.nba.com/news/mike-dantoni-hall-of-fame-2026) • [10](https://www.nba.com/news/mike-dantoni-coaching-style-hall-of-fame-2026) In every one of his final three seasons there, Houston attempted the majority of its field goals from three-point range (50.2% in 2017-18, 51.9% in 2018-19, and 50.1% in 2019-20), something no NBA team had ever done over a season until Boston exceeded it in 2024-25.[10](https://www.nba.com/news/mike-dantoni-coaching-style-hall-of-fame-2026) He left the Rockets in 2020 when his contract ended.[16](https://www.axios.com/2020/10/16/daryl-morey-rockets-nba-steps-down)
## Later roles and Hall of Fame
D'Antoni served as an assistant coach on [Mike Krzyzewski](https://www.edgepedia.org/mike-krzyzewski)'s USA Basketball staffs, with the national team posting a 49-1 record and winning gold medals at the 2008 and 2012 Olympics.[11](https://nbacoaches.com/rockets-name-mike-dantoni-head-coach/) In 2020 he joined Steve Nash's Brooklyn Nets staff as an assistant before stepping down, and later that year the [New Orleans Pelicans](https://www.edgepedia.org/new-orleans-pelicans) hired him as a coaching advisor, a role he held into a fourth season.[17](https://www.nba.com/news/mike-dantoni-steps-down-as-nets-assistant-coach) • [5](https://www.nba.com/news/mike-dantoni-joins-pelicans-coaching-staff-as-advisor) • [6](https://cdn.nba.com/teams/uploads/sites/1610612740/2024/10/2024-25-Pelicans-Media-Guide-v2.pdf)
He was inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in 2026 as a contributor, in a class that also included [Doc Rivers](https://www.edgepedia.org/doc-rivers), Candace Parker, and Amar'e Stoudemire.[2](https://www.hoophall.com/hall-of-famers/mike-dantoni) • [3](https://www.nba.com/news/mike-dantoni-hall-of-fame-2026) His Hall of Fame profile summarizes the philosophy he carried from Milan to Phoenix to Houston: pace-and-space, pick-and-roll, and 3-point shooting, with his teams built around skilled players regardless of size.[2](https://www.hoophall.com/hall-of-famers/mike-dantoni)
## References
1. [Mike D'Antoni, e-WV: The West Virginia Encyclopedia](https://www.wvencyclopedia.org/entries/2305)
2. [Mike D'Antoni, The Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame](https://www.hoophall.com/hall-of-famers/mike-dantoni)
3. [Hall of Fame Class of 2026: Mike D'Antoni discusses coaching career, style that helped reshape NBA, NBA.com](https://www.nba.com/news/mike-dantoni-hall-of-fame-2026)
4. [Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame's Class of 2026: Mike D'Antoni remains one of the greatest offensive minds in NBA history, Yahoo Sports](https://sports.yahoo.com/nba/article/naismith-memorial-basketball-hall-of-fames-class-of-2026-mike-dantoni-remains-one-of-the-greatest-offensive-minds-in-nba-history-182115814.html)
5. [Mike D'Antoni joins Pelicans coaching staff as advisor, NBA.com](https://www.nba.com/news/mike-dantoni-joins-pelicans-coaching-staff-as-advisor)
6. [2024-25 Pelicans Media Guide, NBA.com](https://cdn.nba.com/teams/uploads/sites/1610612740/2024/10/2024-25-Pelicans-Media-Guide-v2.pdf)
7. [Mike D'Antoni player page, Basketball-Reference.com](https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/d/dantomi01.html)
8. [Steve Nash y el Seven Seconds or Less: la revolución que transformó la NBA, AS.com](https://as.com/baloncesto/nba/steve-nash-y-el-seven-seconds-or-less-la-revolucion-que-transformo-la-nba-n/)
9. [Interview with Mike D'Antoni, FIBA Assist](https://ukts.s3.amazonaws.com/store/pdfs/Trener_35-36.pdf)
10. [The Athletic: Mike D'Antoni was more than 'seven seconds or less' in his Hall of Fame career, NBA.com](https://www.nba.com/news/mike-dantoni-coaching-style-hall-of-fame-2026)
11. [Rockets Name Mike D'Antoni Head Coach, NBA Coaches Association](https://nbacoaches.com/rockets-name-mike-dantoni-head-coach/)
12. [Mike D'Antoni coaching record, Basketball-Reference.com](https://www.basketball-reference.com/coaches/dantomi01c.html)
13. [2017-18 Knicks Media Guide, NBA.com](https://ak-static-int.nba.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2017/10/2017-18-Media-Guide-Knicks.pdf)
14. [2016-17 Rockets Media Guide, NBA.com](https://ak-static-int.nba.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2016/10/2016-17-Media-Guide-Rockets.pdf)
15. [L.A. Lakers Head Coach Mike D'Antoni Quits After Two Seasons, Time](https://time.com/83787/lakers-coach-resigns/)
16. [How departing Rockets GM Daryl Morey changed the NBA forever, Axios](https://www.axios.com/2020/10/16/daryl-morey-rockets-nba-steps-down)
17. [Mike D'Antoni steps down as Nets assistant coach, NBA.com](https://www.nba.com/news/mike-dantoni-steps-down-as-nets-assistant-coach)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Sports, games, and recreation › Other team and ball sports › Basketball and court team sports › Basketball players and coaches (biographies) › NBA head coaches*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 17, 2026; Sep 30, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Edited: Sep 17, 2026; Sep 30, 2026; Oct 12, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Last review: Oct 21, 2026*
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