Professional Basketball Coach, Executive. Saunders, born Philip Daniel Saunders, was a head coach in the National Basketball Association with the Minnesota Timberwolves, Detroit Pistons, and the Washington Wizards. He played basketball at the University of Minnesota from 1973 to 1977 and helped lead the Golden Gophers to a school-best 24-3 record in his senior year. Saunders started his coaching career after graduating from college with Golden Valley Lutheran College. From 1981 to 1986 he was an assistant coach with his alma mater before coaching in the Continental Basketball Association from 1988 to 1995. In 1995 Saunders became first the general manager and then the head coach of the Minnesota Timberwolves of the NBA. He guided the Timberwolves to the playoffs several times before being fired by them in 2005. Saunders moved on to Detroit, where he coached the Pistons for three years before going on to the nation's capital and the Wizards. He coached the Wizards for three years before being fired in 2012. In 2013 Saunders returned to Minnesota to be first the head of basketball operations and then head coach and it was during this stint that he was diagnosed with Hodgkin's Lymphoma. While he was battling this disease, he turned over coaching duties to assistant coach Sam Mitchell. Saunders also served as an advisor with the Boston Celtics before his second stint with Minnesota. He was the head coach in the NBA All-Star Game two times in his career and his win-loss record was 654-594 in 1,248 games coached.
Professional Basketball Coach, Executive. Saunders, born Philip Daniel Saunders, was a head coach in the National Basketball Association with the Minnesota Timberwolves, Detroit Pistons, and the Washington Wizards. He played basketball at the University of Minnesota from 1973 to 1977 and helped lead the Golden Gophers to a school-best 24-3 record in his senior year. Saunders started his coaching career after graduating from college with Golden Valley Lutheran College. From 1981 to 1986 he was an assistant coach with his alma mater before coaching in the Continental Basketball Association from 1988 to 1995. In 1995 Saunders became first the general manager and then the head coach of the Minnesota Timberwolves of the NBA. He guided the Timberwolves to the playoffs several times before being fired by them in 2005. Saunders moved on to Detroit, where he coached the Pistons for three years before going on to the nation's capital and the Wizards. He coached the Wizards for three years before being fired in 2012. In 2013 Saunders returned to Minnesota to be first the head of basketball operations and then head coach and it was during this stint that he was diagnosed with Hodgkin's Lymphoma. While he was battling this disease, he turned over coaching duties to assistant coach Sam Mitchell. Saunders also served as an advisor with the Boston Celtics before his second stint with Minnesota. He was the head coach in the NBA All-Star Game two times in his career and his win-loss record was 654-594 in 1,248 games coached.
Bio by: Mr. Badger Hawkeye
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