Cotton Fitzsimmons

Cotton Fitzsimmons returned to his home state of Missouri to start his coaching career as the head coach at Moberly Junior College in Moberly, Missouri in 1958, replacing Maury John.

Fitzsimmons coached for nine seasons at Moberly, with a record of 223–59. Fitzsimmons finished his tenure with back-to-back NJCAA National Championships in 1966 and 1967.

Coach Fitzsimmons was named an assistant coach for the Wildcat’s men’s basketball team under Tex Winter at Kansas State University where he learned the Triangle Offense from Winter.

In 1968, he was named Head Coach at Kansas State. Fitzsimmons’ first season as head coach finished 14–12. The following season, the Wildcats went 20–8, winning the Big 8 Conference Championship. He was named 1970 Big 8 Coach of the Year and led the Wildcats to the Sweet Sixteen of the 1970 NCAA tournament.

Coach Fitzsimmons succeeded Johnny “Red” Kerr as the head coach of the Phoenix Suns. In his first season, the Suns finished with a 48–34 record, missing the playoffs.

The following season, the Suns finished with a 49–33 record but still missed the playoffs.

In his first tenure with the Suns, Fitzsimmons had an overall record of 82-67.

Notable Players Coached

• Connie Hawkins
  • 1968 ABA champion
  • 1968 ABA Playoffs MVP
  • 1968 ABA Most Valuable Player
  • 4× NBA All-Star (1970–1973)
  • 2× ABA All-Star (1968, 1969)
  • 1970 All-NBA First Team
  • 2× All-ABA First Team (1968, 1969)
  • ABA All-Time Team
  • No. 42 retired by Phoenix Suns
• Paul Silas
  • 3× NBA champion (1974, 1976, 1979)
  • 2× NBA All-Star (1972, 1975)
  • 2× NBA All-Defensive First Team (1975, 1976)
  • 3× NBA All-Defensive Second Team (1971–1973)
• Dick Van Arsdale
  • 3× NBA All-Star (1969–1971)
  • 1974 NBA All-Defensive Second Team
  • 1966 NBA All-Rookie First Team
  • No. 5 retired by Phoenix Suns
• Mel Counts (2× NBA champion (1965, 1966)
• John Wetzel (Future NBA coach)

Coach Fitzsimmons succeeded Richie Guerin as the head coach of the Atlanta Hawks. In his first season the Hawks finished with a 46–36 record, reaching the playoffs, but were eliminated in the first round by the Boston Celtics in 6 games. The following season, the Hawks finished with a 35–47, missing the playoffs.

In 1974, Bumper Tormohlen was hired as an assistant coach. The Hawks finished with a 31–51 record, missing the playoffs for the second season in a row.

In 1976, the Hawks record stood at 28-46, Fitzsimmons was fired and Coach Tormohlen became the interim coach.

Notable Players Coached

• Lou Hudson
  • 6× NBA All-Star (1969–1974)
  • 1970 All-NBA Second Team
  • 1967 NBA All-Rookie First Team
  • No. 23 retired by Atlanta Hawks
• Pete Maravich
  • 5× NBA All-Star (1973, 1974, 1977–1979)
  • 2× All-NBA First Team (1976, 1977)
  • 2× All-NBA Second Team (1973, 1978)
  • 1971 NBA All-Rookie First Team
  • 1977 NBA scoring champion
  • 50th & 75th NBA anniversary team selections
  • No. 44 retired by Atlanta Hawks
• Tom Van Arsdale
  • 3× NBA All-Star (1970–1972)
  • 1966 NBA All-Rookie First Team
• John Wetzel (Future NBA coach)

Coach Fitzsimmons succeeded Tates Locke as the head coach of the Buffalo Braves. In his first and only season, the Braves finished with a 27–55 record, missing the playoffs.

Notable Players Coached

• Billy Knight
  • 2x NBA All-Star (1977, 1978)
  • 1976 ABA All-Star
  • 1976 All-ABA First Team
  • 1975 ABA All-Rookie First Team
• Randy Smith
  • 2× NBA All-Star (1976, 1978)
  • 1978 NBA All-Star Game MVP
  • 1976 All-NBA Second Team
• Chuck Williams (2× ABA All-Star (1973, 1976)

Coach Fitzsimmons succeeded Phil Johnson and interim head coach Larry Staverman as the head coach of the Kansas City Kings. In his first season, the Kings finished with a 48–34 record, reaching the playoffs. They were eliminated in the conference semifinals by the Phoenix Suns in 5 games (4-1).

The following season, the Kings finished with a 47–35 record and were eliminated in the first round by the Phoenix Suns in 3 games (2-1). In that same season, Coach Fitzsimmons won the Coach of the Year award.

In 1981, the Kings finished with a 40–42 and later made a deep playoff run to the Western Conference Finals but were eliminated by the Houston Rockets in 5 games (4-1). The following season, the Kings finished with a 30–52 record, their worst record during Fitzsimmon’s tenure, also missing the playoffs for the first time under him.

The Kings missed the playoffs for a second year in a row in 1983 despite improving their record to 45–37. In Fitzsimmon’s last season in 1984, the Kings finished with a 38–44 record, reaching the playoffs, but were eliminated by the Los Angeles Lakers in 3 games (3-0).

As of 2026, Coach Fitzsimmons holds the 3rd most coaching wins in team history with 248.

Notable Players Coached

• Otis Birdsong (4× NBA All-Star & 1981 All-NBA Second Team)
• Lucius Allen (1971 NBA Champion)
• Jo Jo White
  • 2× NBA champion (1974, 1976)
  • 1976 NBA Finals MVP
  • 7× NBA All-Star (1971–1977)
  • 2× All-NBA Second Team (1975, 1977)
  • 1970 NBA All-Rookie First Team
  • No. 10 retired by Boston Celtics
• Sam Lacey
  • 1975 NBA All-Star
  • No. 44 retired by Sacramento Kings
• Darnell Hillman
  • 2× ABA champion (1972, 1973)
  • 1977 NBA Slam Dunk Contest champion
• Gus Gerard
  • 1976 ABA All-Star
  • 1975 ABA All-Rookie First Team
• Scott Wedman
  • 2× NBA champion
  • 2× NBA All-Star
• Ernie Grunfeld (Future NBA coach & General Manager)
• Mike Woodson (Future NBA Head Coach & Future 2004 NBA champion as assistant coach)
• Larry Drew (Future NBA Head Coach & 2016 NBA champion as assistant coach)

Coach Fitzsimmons succeeded Morris McHone as the head coach of the San Antonio Spurs. In his first season, the team finished with a 41–41 record, qualifying for the playoffs. They were eliminated in the first round by the Denver Nuggets in 5 games (3-2).

The following season, the Spurs finished with a 35-47 record, still eligible for the playoffs, where they lost to the Los Angeles Lakers in 3 games (3-0). Alvin Robertson led the league in steals and made his first All-Star Game appearance. He also received the Defensive Player of the Year award.

At the time of his departure, Fitzsimmons had an overall coaching record of 76–88.

Notable Players Coached

• George Gervin
  • 9× NBA All-Star (1977–1985)
  • 1980 NBA All-Star Game MVP
  • 5× All-NBA First Team (1978–1982)
  • 2× All-NBA Second Team (1977, 1983)
  • 4× NBA scoring champion (1978–1980, 1982)
  • 3× ABA All-Star (1974–1976)
  • 2× All-ABA Second Team (1975, 1976)
  • 1973 ABA All-Rookie First Team
  • No. 44 retired by San Antonio Spurs
  • 50th & 75th NBA anniversary team selections
  • ABA All-Time Team
• Artis Gilmore
  • 1975 ABA champion
  • 1975 ABA Playoffs Most Valuable Player
  • 1972 ABA Most Valuable Player
  • 6× NBA All-Star (1978, 1979, 1981–1983, 1986)
  • 5× ABA All-Star (1972–1976)
  • 1974 ABA All-Star Game MVP
  • 5× All-ABA First Team (1972–1976)
  • 4× ABA All-Defensive First Team (1973–1976)
  • 1972 ABA Rookie of the Year
  • 4× ABA rebounding champion (1972–1974, 1976)
  • ABA All-Time Team
• Alvin Robertson
  • 4× NBA All-Star (1986–1988, 1991)
  • 1986 All-NBA Second Team
  • 1986 NBA Defensive Player of the Year
  • 2× NBA All-Defensive First Team (1987, 1991)
  • 4× NBA All-Defensive Second Team (1986, 1988–1990)
  • 1986 NBA Most Improved Player
  • 3× NBA steals leader (1986, 1987, 1991)
• Billy Knight
  • 2x NBA All-Star (1977, 1978)
  • 1976 ABA All-Star
  • 1976 All-ABA First Team
  • 1975 ABA All-Rookie First Team
• Steve Johnson (1988 NBA All-Star)
• Johnny Moore
  • 1982 NBA assists leader
  • No. 00 retired by San Antonio Spurs
• Marc Iavaroni (1983 NBA champion & Future NBA coach)
• Tyrone Corbin (Future NBA Head Coach)

Coach Fitzsimmons returned to the Phoenix Suns organization in 1986 in the front office, in 1988, he succeeded John Wetzel as the head coach. In his first season back, the Suns finished with a 55–27 record, making a deep playoff run to the western conference finals, where they were eliminated by the Los Angeles Lakers in 4 games. The following season, the Suns finished with a 54–28 record, reaching the conference finals again, but were eliminated in 6 games against the Portland Trail Blazers.

In 1989, Fitzsimmons won the Coach of the Year award, his second in his career.

In 1991, the Suns finished with a 55–27 and later in the playoffs were eliminated by the Utah Jazz in 4 games (3-1). In 1992, the Suns finished with a 53–29 record, meeting the Trail Blazers in the semifinals, but lost in 5 games (4-1). After the season, Fitzsimmons stepped down as the head coach and remained with the Suns as the senior executive vice-president.

In 1995, after a 14-19 start, head coach Paul Westphal was fired, and Fitzsimmons took over for the rest of the season. He led the Suns to a 41-41 record, reaching the playoffs. They were eliminated in the first round by the San Antonio Spurs in 4 games (3-1).

The following season in 1996, Fitzsimmons stepped down after a 0-8 start. At the time of his retirement, he had 832 wins and 775 losses, Fitzsimmons was the eighth winningest coach in NBA history.

In his 3 stints as the Suns head coach, he compiled a regular season record of 363-230 and a playoff record of 22-22. As of 2026, he holds the second most coaching wins in Suns history behind John Macleod.