Who is Paul Westhead?
Paul William Westhead, born February 21, 1939, is a retired American basketball coach, known for his versatile coaching career in various leagues. He has coached in multiple basketball arenas, including the National Basketball Association (NBA), National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA), American Basketball Association (ABA) and Japan Basketball League (JBL), and has achieved Good results.
Notably, Westhead’s NBA debut with the Los Angeles Lakers in the 1979-80 season was a remarkable success. In his first year as the league’s head coach, he led rookie Magic Johnson and the Lakers to the 1980 NBA Finals and won the championship with six wins. His unconventional approach to coaching, characterized by a fast-paced playing style known as “The System,” set him apart.
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This up-tempo run-and-gun approach is designed to maximize offensive opportunities, a style that has paid off during his coaching tenure. Westhead’s coaching abilities extended beyond the NBA, as he also won a championship in the WNBA.
Affectionately nicknamed “The Professor” for his former career as an English teacher and his habit of incorporating literary references like Shakespeare into his coaching, Westhead left an indelible mark on the basketball world.
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full name |
Paul William Westhead |
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date of birth |
February 21, 1939 |
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place of birth |
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States |
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age |
84 years old |
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middle school |
west catholic preparatory high school |
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University |
St. Joseph’s University-Hoke Hill Campus |
Why was Paul Westhead fired?
In 1981, Paul Westhead was fired as head coach of the Los Angeles Lakers. The reasons were multifaceted, mainly conflicts of coaching philosophies and conflicts with key players (especially Magic Johnson). Tensions. While Westhead’s run-and-gun coaching style (dubbed “The System”) brought the Lakers an NBA championship in his first year as interim head coach, his transition to permanent head coaching resulted in friction.
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Johnson and some teammates reportedly expressed doubts about Westhead’s offensive scheme, causing the atmosphere in the locker room to sour. Westhead’s refusal to adapt and his belief that he could not manage the team’s star players ultimately led to his downfall. In 1981, Magic Johnson’s trade request, coupled with the Lakers’ poor start to the season, prompted the team to fire Westhead and seek a new direction under Pat Riley.
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When did Paul Westhead leave the Lakers?
During the 1981-82 NBA season, Paul Westhead resigned as head coach of the Los Angeles Lakers. His departure comes after a tumultuous start to the season that saw the team go 2-4 and create tension within the team.
The turning point was reached when Magic Johnson and Westhead clashed against the Utah Jazz. Johnson’s trade request, combined with the Lakers’ struggles and internal strife, led to Westhead’s firing.
After his departure, Pat Riley took over as coach and led the Lakers to a successful season that culminated in another championship. This marked the end of Westhead’s tenure with the Lakers, with Riley successfully taking over the team and leading them to continued success.
Paul Westhead with Los Angeles Lakers
Paul Westhead’s tenure as head coach of the Los Angeles Lakers has been marked by success and internal conflict. He took over the coaching reins from Jack McKinney, initially as an assistant coach and later as interim head coach due to McKinney’s bicycle accident.
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Westhead’s first year as coach coincided with a memorable run for the Lakers, who were led by rookie Magic Johnson and star Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in six games. Defeat the Philadelphia 76ers and win the 1980 NBA Finals. This marked the beginning of the Showtime era for the Lakers. Despite the victory, tensions quickly emerged between Westhead and Johnson.
The team’s offense was divided, with Johnson favoring a fast-break style consistent with his playmaking abilities and Westhead favoring a more isolation-centric offense centered around Abdul-Jabbar Way.
As friction between Westhead and Johnson escalated, the team’s performance declined, and the Lakers were defeated in the playoffs by the Moses Malone-led Houston Rockets. Tensions between Westhead and Johnson ultimately led to Westhead’s firing early in his third season with the Lakers. His replacement was Pat Riley, whom he hired as assistant coach.
While there has been speculation that Magic Johnson played a role in Westhead’s departure, Lakers owner Jerry Buss reportedly considered firing Westhead before Johnson was involved. Westhead finished his coaching career with the Lakers with a 111-50 record.
Coaching career of Paul Westhead
Paul Westhead’s extensive coaching career spans all levels of basketball, including college, professional and international leagues. His coaching career is marked by rich experience and notable achievements:
College Counseling:
- Westhead began his coaching career at La Salle University, where he served as the head coach of the men’s basketball team from 1970 to 1979.
- During his tenure at La Salle, he achieved notable success, including regular season and tournament titles in conferences such as the Mid-Atlantic Conference (MAC) and the East Coast Conference (ECC).
- He subsequently served as coach of the Loyola Marymount University men’s basketball program from 1985 to 1990, earning further recognition with regular season and tournament championships in the West Coast Conference (WCC). He was named WCC Coach of the Year twice during his tenure.
NBA coach:
- Westhead’s NBA coaching career began in 1979 as an assistant coach with the Los Angeles Lakers. He moved on to become head coach of the Lakers and led the team to the NBA championship in 1980 under Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
- He also served as the head coach of the Chicago Bulls in the 1982-83 season and later coached the Denver Nuggets from 1990 to 1992.
- Westhead’s NBA coaching record reflects his coaching experience with the Lakers, Bulls and Nuggets, with a combined 183-224 record.
Other coaching roles:
- Westhead began coaching international basketball, including as head coach of the Panasonic Super Kangaroos and Long Beach Jam.
- He also entered the WNBA and won a championship in 2007 as the head coach of the Phoenix Mercury.
- Westhead’s coaching career also extended to the collegiate level, coaching the men’s basketball team at George Mason University and eventually the women’s basketball team at the University of Oregon.
- His accomplishments include championships, conference championships and recognition for his coaching abilities at every level of basketball.
Throughout his coaching career, Paul Westhead made a lasting impact on the game with his innovative strategies, extensive coaching experience and significant achievements.
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