# Vinny Del Negro
**Vinny Del Negro** (Vincent Joseph Del Negro, born 1966 in [Springfield, Massachusetts](https://www.edgepedia.org/springfield-massachusetts)) is an American former professional basketball player and NBA head coach who played 12 seasons as a guard for five teams and later coached the [Chicago Bulls](https://www.edgepedia.org/chicago-bulls) and [Los Angeles Clippers](https://www.edgepedia.org/los-angeles-clippers).[1](https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/d/delnevi01.html) • [2](https://www.statmuse.com/nba/player/vinny-del-negro-877/bio) He is best remembered for his tenure with the San Antonio Spurs as a player and for leading the Clippers to their first 50-win season as a coach.[3](https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/ex-spurs-veteran-blunt-message-014421094.html) • [4](https://www.nbcsports.com/american-century-championship/vinny-del-negro)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1966, Springfield, Massachusetts; 6 ft 4 in, 185 lb (193 cm, 83 kg)[1](https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/d/delnevi01.html) |
| College | North Carolina State (NC State)[1](https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/d/delnevi01.html) |
| Draft | Sacramento Kings, 2nd round (4th pick, 29th overall), 1988 NBA Draft; NBA debut November 5, 1988[1](https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/d/delnevi01.html) |
| Playing career | 12 seasons, 5 teams including the Spurs and Suns; 771 games, 9.1 points, 2.3 rebounds, 3.2 assists per game[1](https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/d/delnevi01.html) • [2](https://www.statmuse.com/nba/player/vinny-del-negro-877/bio) |
| Shooting | Career 47.5% field goals, 35.9% on three-pointers, 84.0% free throws[1](https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/d/delnevi01.html) |
| Head coaching | 394 NBA games, 210-184 (.533); playoff record 10-19[5](https://www.basketball-reference.com/coaches/delnevi01c.html) |
| Clippers peak | Franchise-best 56-26 record and first 50-win season in team history (2012-13)[4](https://www.nbcsports.com/american-century-championship/vinny-del-negro) |
| After coaching | Won the 2021 American Century Championship celebrity golf tournament; joined Jerry Colangelo's group pursuing an NBA expansion team in Las Vegas[4](https://www.nbcsports.com/american-century-championship/vinny-del-negro) • [6](https://www.axios.com/local/phoenix/2026/07/08/jerry-colangelo-nba-expansion-team-las-vegas-jacks) |
## Playing career
Del Negro played high school basketball at Suffield Academy in Suffield, Connecticut, and then at NC State before the [Sacramento Kings](https://www.edgepedia.org/sacramento-kings) selected him in the second round of the 1988 NBA Draft, 29th overall.[1](https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/d/delnevi01.html) As a rookie in 1988-89 he played in 80 games, averaging 7.1 points, 2.6 assists, and 2.1 rebounds in 19.5 minutes, and scored a then career-high 28 points in the final game of the season at Portland.[7](https://library.sfo2.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/publications/basketball/yearbooks/KSASPMG-1996.pdf)
Over 12 seasons with five teams, including the Spurs and Suns, he appeared in 771 regular-season games and averaged 9.1 points, 2.3 rebounds, and 3.2 assists while shooting 47.5 percent from the field and 84.0 percent from the free-throw line.[1](https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/d/delnevi01.html) • [2](https://www.statmuse.com/nba/player/vinny-del-negro-877/bio) He is best remembered among his playing stops for his [San Antonio Spurs](https://www.edgepedia.org/san-antonio-spurs) tenure.[3](https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/ex-spurs-veteran-blunt-message-014421094.html)
## Front-office and broadcasting work
Before becoming a head coach, Del Negro worked in television and radio, as a scout, as director of player personnel for the [Phoenix Suns](https://www.edgepedia.org/phoenix-suns), and as an assistant general manager for the Suns.[8](https://www.latimes.com/sports/la-xpm-2011-dec-21-la-sp-clippers-vinny-del-negro-20111222-story.html)
## Head coaching
**Chicago Bulls (2008-2010).** The Bulls job was Del Negro's first head-coaching position; he had never coached before taking it.[9](https://www.latimes.com/sports/la-xpm-2012-oct-27-la-sp-vinny-del-negro-clippers-20121028-story.html) In his first season, 2008-09, Chicago went 41-41, finished second, and lost its first-round playoff series 3-4 in games.[10](https://chibullsdigital.com/mediaGuide/2022_ChicagoBulls_MG_NBA_HI.pdf) He led the Bulls to two consecutive playoff appearances, in 2009 and 2010.[4](https://www.nbcsports.com/american-century-championship/vinny-del-negro)
**Los Angeles Clippers (2010-2013).** His first Clippers season opened 1-13, the team's worst start in 12 seasons, on a roster built around two 20-year-olds, two 21-year-olds, and one 22-year-old.[9](https://www.latimes.com/sports/la-xpm-2012-oct-27-la-sp-vinny-del-negro-clippers-20121028-story.html) In the lockout-shortened 2011-12 season the team went 40-26 and reached the conference semifinals, where it was swept by the Spurs, the franchise's first playoff appearances of the [Chris Paul](https://www.edgepedia.org/chris-paul) era.[11](https://as.com/baloncesto/nba/la-lob-city-de-chris-paul-el-cielo-y-el-infierno-de-los-mejores-clippers-de-la-historia-n-2/) In the 2012 playoffs his team overcame a 27-point deficit in Game 1 against Memphis and won Game 7 in Memphis.[9](https://www.latimes.com/sports/la-xpm-2012-oct-27-la-sp-vinny-del-negro-clippers-20121028-story.html) In 2012-13 the Clippers posted a franchise-best 56-26 record, the first 50-win season in team history.[4](https://www.nbcsports.com/american-century-championship/vinny-del-negro) He left after that season; [Doc Rivers](https://www.edgepedia.org/doc-rivers) replaced him in 2013.[11](https://as.com/baloncesto/nba/la-lob-city-de-chris-paul-el-cielo-y-el-infierno-de-los-mejores-clippers-de-la-historia-n-2/)
Across four seasons as an NBA head coach he missed the playoffs just once, and his career record stands at 210-184 in the regular season (.533) and 10-19 in the playoffs.[9](https://www.latimes.com/sports/la-xpm-2012-oct-27-la-sp-vinny-del-negro-clippers-20121028-story.html) • [5](https://www.basketball-reference.com/coaches/delnevi01c.html)
## Later activities
Del Negro has remained a public figure in basketball and golf. He won the 2021 American Century Championship, a celebrity golf tournament at [Lake Tahoe](https://www.edgepedia.org/lake-tahoe), and returned to defend the title.[4](https://www.nbcsports.com/american-century-championship/vinny-del-negro) In 2026 he joined an ownership group led by former Suns and Diamondbacks owner [Jerry Colangelo](https://www.edgepedia.org/jerry-colangelo), also including media executive David Levy and former NBA player [Jay Williams](https://www.edgepedia.org/jay-williams-basketball), that is seeking $12.5-13 billion to pursue an NBA expansion team in Las Vegas.[6](https://www.axios.com/local/phoenix/2026/07/08/jerry-colangelo-nba-expansion-team-las-vegas-jacks)
## Off the court
The 1996 Spurs media guide records that Del Negro established the Vinny Del Negro Endowment Fund in [Springfield](https://www.edgepedia.org/springfield) for the Brightside organization, which helps sexually and physically abused youths, contributed $50,000 to the program, and was one of five professional athletes honored by USA WEEKEND with a Most Caring Athlete Award in 1994.[7](https://library.sfo2.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/publications/basketball/yearbooks/KSASPMG-1996.pdf) His father, Vince, played basketball at Kentucky.[7](https://library.sfo2.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/publications/basketball/yearbooks/KSASPMG-1996.pdf)
## References
1. [Vinny Del Negro Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Draft Status and more, Basketball-Reference](https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/d/delnevi01.html)
2. [Vinny Del Negro Bio, StatMuse](https://www.statmuse.com/nba/player/vinny-del-negro-877/bio)
3. [Ex-Spurs Veteran's Blunt Message on How Team Responds After Finals Loss, Yahoo Sports](https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/ex-spurs-veteran-blunt-message-014421094.html)
4. [Vinny Del Negro, NBC Sports, American Century Championship](https://www.nbcsports.com/american-century-championship/vinny-del-negro)
5. [Vinny Del Negro: Coaching Record, Awards, Basketball-Reference](https://www.basketball-reference.com/coaches/delnevi01c.html)
6. [Colangelo wants to bring NBA expansion team to Las Vegas, Axios](https://www.axios.com/local/phoenix/2026/07/08/jerry-colangelo-nba-expansion-team-las-vegas-jacks)
7. [San Antonio Spurs Media Guide (1996)](https://library.sfo2.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/publications/basketball/yearbooks/KSASPMG-1996.pdf)
8. [Hot seat? Vinny Del Negro is cool with that, Los Angeles Times](https://www.latimes.com/sports/la-xpm-2011-dec-21-la-sp-clippers-vinny-del-negro-20111222-story.html)
9. [Clippers' Del Negro knows how to coach ... himself, Los Angeles Times](https://www.latimes.com/sports/la-xpm-2012-oct-27-la-sp-vinny-del-negro-clippers-20121028-story.html)
10. [Chicago Bulls 2022/23 Media Guide, All-Time Head Coaches Records](https://chibullsdigital.com/mediaGuide/2022_ChicagoBulls_MG_NBA_HI.pdf)
11. [La Lob City de Chris Paul, AS.com](https://as.com/baloncesto/nba/la-lob-city-de-chris-paul-el-cielo-y-el-infierno-de-los-mejores-clippers-de-la-historia-n-2/)
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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 players, 1980–1995 › NBA guards, 1980–1995*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 17, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Edited: Oct 12, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Last review: Oct 21, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license