John Welch (basketball)
John Welch (born February 17, 1963) is an American professional basketball coach and former player who most recently served as assistant coach for the Los Angeles Clippers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played professionally in New Zealand where in 1988, he earned Most Outstanding Guard and All-Star Five honors playing for Waitemata. Throughout his coaching career, he has worked with or worked under various notable basketball people, including Jerry Tarkanian, Jerry West, Hubie Brown, George Karl and Tim Grgurich.
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | February 17, 1963 Portland, Maine |
| Nationality | American |
| Career information | |
| High school | Rancho (North Las Vegas, Nevada) |
| College | Nevada (1982–1984) UNLV (1985–1986) |
| NBA draft | 1986 / Undrafted |
| Position | Guard |
| Coaching career | 1986–present |
| Career history | |
| As coach: | |
| 1986–1989 | UNLV (graduate assistant) |
| 1993–1995 | Long Beach State (assistant) |
| 1995–2002 | Fresno State (assistant) |
| 2002–2005 | Memphis Grizzlies (assistant) |
| 2005–2013 | Denver Nuggets (assistant) |
| 2013–2015 | Brooklyn Nets (assistant) |
| 2015–2016 | Sacramento Kings (assistant) |
| 2016–2020 | Los Angeles Clippers (assistant) |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| As player: As assistant coach:
| |
Early life
Born in Portland, Maine, Welch attended Rancho High School in North Las Vegas, Nevada and was an All-State selection. He later played college basketball for Nevada and UNLV before starting a successful coaching career.
Coaching career
Fresno State
At Fresno State, Welch worked under head coach Jerry Tarkanian, a 2013 Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame coach inductee.
Denver Nuggets
Welch worked under George Karl during his tenure with the Denver Nuggets.[1] Karl expressed his appreciation towards Welch, saying, "he's got great passion ... [and] tries something every day that we can get better at."[2]
Brooklyn Nets
Welch began his tenure with the Nets in 2013, the first season Jason Kidd was head coach.[3]
Sacramento Kings
On July 31, 2015, Welch was hired by the Sacramento Kings to be an assistant coach.[4]
Los Angeles Clippers
On September 23, 2016, Welch was hired as an assistant coach by the Los Angeles Clippers,[5] and served in the position until November 16, 2020.[6]
References
- ^ Brooklyn Nets: Get To Know New Assistant Coach John Welch
- ^ Nuggets find gem in Welch
- ^ John Welch Bio
- ^ "Kings Announce Coaching Staff". NBA.com. July 31, 2015. Retrieved July 31, 2015.
- ^ "L.A. CLIPPERS ANNOUNCE BASKETBALL OPERATIONS ADDITIONS AND PROMOTIONS". NBA.com. September 23, 2016. Retrieved October 12, 2016.
- ^ "LA Clippers Finalize Coaching Staff For 2020-21 Season". NBA.com. November 16, 2020. Retrieved November 17, 2020.
External links
- NBA.com bio
- John Welch is Denver Nuggets' workaholic assistant coach