Gene Littles

Gene Littles

1975 ABA Champion | 2x MEAC tournament Champion | Former NBA Coach & Executive

Gene Littles was born on June 29, 1943, in Washington, D.C. As a 6’0 point guard, he played college basketball for the High Point Panthers men’s basketball of High Point University. He later was drafted with the 68th overall pick in the 5th round of the 1969 NBA Draft by the New York Knicks, but never played a single NBA game, later playing 6 seasons in the American Basketball Association (ABA).

Littles played for the Carolina Cougars and the Kentucky Colonels, coached by Larry Brown and won the 1975 ABA championship.

In 2015, Littles was inducted into the North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame and the High Point University Athletics Hall of Fame. His number 14 was retired by his alma mater, and a bench outside Millis Athletic Convocation Center was later named in his honor in 2019.

Coach Littles passed away on September 10, 2021, at the age of 78.

  • Overall Coaching Record: 84-126
    • College: 40-15
    • NBA: 44-111

Coaching Career

Gene Littles started his coaching career under Bobby Cremins as an assistant coach for the Appalachian State Mountaineers men’s basketball team. In his first season as an assistant coach, the Mountaineers finished with a 13-14 record. the following season, the team finished with a 17-12 record.

Coach Littles became the head coach of the Aggies men’s basketball team of North Carolina A&T State University. In his 2 seasons, he led the team to two straight MEAC tournament championships. He was also honored as the conference’s coach of the year in 1979. His overall coaching record was 40-15.

Coach Littles became an assistant coach under Tom Nissalke for the Utah Jazz. In his first season as an assistant, the Jazz finished with a 24–58 record, missing the playoffs. The following season, the Jazz finished with a 28–54 record, missing the playoffs again.

Nissalke was fired after an 8-12 start and General Manager Frank Layden replaced him as head coach while remaining as the General Manager.

Notable Players Coached

  • 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
    • No. 7 retired by Utah Jazz
    • No. 7 retired by New Orleans Pelicans
  • Adrian Dantley
    • 6× NBA All-Star (1980–1982, 1984–1986)
    • 2× All-NBA Second Team (1981, 1984)
    • Future 1984 NBA Comeback Player of the Year
    • 1977 NBA Rookie of the Year
    • 1977 NBA All-Rookie Team
    • Future 2× NBA scoring champion (1981, 1984)
    • No. 4 retired by Utah Jazz
  • Mack Calvin
    • 5× ABA All-Star (1971–1975)
    • 3x All-ABA First Team (1971, 1974, 1975)
    • 1973 All-ABA Second Team
    • 1970 ABA All-Rookie First Team
    • ABA All-Time Team
  • Bernard King
    • 4× NBA All-Star (1982, 1984, 1985, 1991)
    • 2× All-NBA First Team (1984, 1985)
    • 1982 All-NBA Second Team
    • Future 1991 All-NBA Third Team
    • 1981 NBA Comeback Player of the Year
    • 1978 NBA All-Rookie Team
    • Future 1985 NBA scoring champion
  • Ron Boone
    • 1971 ABA champion
    • 4× ABA All-Star (1971, 1974–1976)
    • ABA All-Rookie First Team (1969)
    • 1974 All-ABA First Team
    • 1975 All-ABA Second Team
    • ABA All-Time Team
  • Darrell Griffith
    • 1981 NBA Rookie of the Year
    • 1981 NBA All-Rookie First Team
    • No. 35 retired by Utah Jazz
  • Rickey Green
    • 1984 NBA All-Star
    • 1984 NBA steals leader
  • Brad Davis (No. 15 retired by Dallas Mavericks)

Coach Littles became an assistant coach under Tom Nissalke for the Cleveland Cavaliers. In his first season as an assistant coach, the team finished with a 23–59, missing the playoffs. The following season, the team finished with a 28–54 record, missing the playoffs for Nissalke’s second season.

After Nissalke’s 2 seasons, George Karl was hired in 1984 and Littles was retained. In Karl’s first season, the Cavaliers finished with a 36–46 record, qualifying for the playoffs. They were eliminated in the first round by the Boston Celtics in 4 games (3-1).

The following season after a record of 24-42, Karl was fired and Coach Littles served as the interim for the rest of the season. He had a coaching record of 4-11 to finish the season and missed the playoffs.

Notable Players Coached

  • Larry Kenon
    • 1974 ABA champion
    • 3× ABA All-Star (1974–1976)
    • 2× NBA All-Star (1978, 1979)
    • 1974 ABA All-Rookie First Team
  • World B. Free (1980 NBA All-Star)
  • Lonnie Shelton
    • 1979 NBA champion
    • 1982 NBA All-Star
    • 1982 NBA All-Defensive Second Team
  • Edgar Jones
    • 1992 Greek Cup winner
    • 1991 Greek League All-Star
    • 1995 CBA champion
    • 1980 All-CBA First Team
    • 1980 CBA Rookie of the Year
  • Eddie Johnson Jr.
    • 2× NBA All-Star (1980, 1981)
    • 2× NBA All-Defensive Second Team (1979, 1980)
    • 1987 CBA All-Star Game MVP
    • 1987 All-CBA First Team
    • 1987 CBA Newcomer of the Year
  • Kevin Williams
    • 1986 CBA champion
    • 1986 All-CBA Second Team
  • Johnny Davis (1977 NBA Champion & Future NBA Head Coach)
  • Phil Hubbard (Future NBA coach)

Coach Littles became an assistant coach under Doug Collins for the Chicago Bulls. In his first and only season with the team, the Bulls finished with a 40–42 record, qualifying for the playoffs. They were eliminated in the first round by K.C. Jones and the Boston Celtics in 3 games (3-0).

Notable Players Coached

  • Michael Jordan
    • Future 6× NBA champion (1991–1993, 1996–1998)
    • Future 6× NBA Finals MVP (1991–1993, 1996–1998)
    • Future 5× NBA Most Valuable Player (1988, 1991, 1992, 1996, 1998)
    • Future 14× NBA All-Star (1985–1993, 1996–1998, 2002, 2003)
    • Future 3× NBA All-Star Game MVP (1988, 1996, 1998)
    • Future 10× All-NBA First Team (1987–1993, 1996–1998)
    • Future 1988 NBA Defensive Player of the Year
    • Future 9× NBA All-Defensive First Team (1988–1993, 1996–1998)
    • 1985 NBA Rookie of the Year
    • Future 10× NBA scoring champion (1987–1993, 1996–1998)
    • Future 3× NBA steals leader (1988, 1990, 1993)
    • Future 2× NBA Slam Dunk Contest champion (1987, 1988)
    • No. 23 retired by Chicago Bulls
    • No. 23 retired by Miami Heat
  • Charles Oakley
    • Future 1994 NBA All-Star
    • Future 1994 NBA All-Defensive First Team
    • Future 1998 NBA All-Defensive Second Team
    • 1986 NBA All-Rookie First Team
  • John Paxson
    • Future 3× NBA champion (1991–1993) as a player
    • Future 1996 NBA champion as an assistant coach
  • Elston Turner (Future NBA Coach)

Coach Littles became an assistant coach and director of player personnel under Dick Harter for the Charlotte Hornets first ever season in the NBA due to the 1988 expansion that also added the Miami Heat. In his first season as an assistant, the team finished with a 20–62 record, missing the playoffs.

The following season, Harter was fired after an 8-32 record, Coach Littles took on the interim role and had an 11-31 coaching record and a team record of 19-63, missing the playoffs.

Notable Players Coached

Coach Littles was promoted to head coach of the Charlotte Hornets after spending 2 seasons as an assistant coach. In his first and only season as the head coach, they finished with a 26–56 record, missing the playoffs.

His assistant coaches were Tom Nissalke and Mike Pratt.

Notable Players Coached

Coach Littles became an assistant coach under Dan Issel, his former Kentucky Colonels teammate for the Denver Nuggets. In his first season as an assistant, the team finished with a 36–46 record, missing the playoffs. The following season, the team finished with a 42–40 record, qualifying for the playoffs. They were eliminated in the conference semifinals by Jerry Sloan and the Utah Jazz in 7 games.

In 1994, Tom Nissalke joined the coaching staff and 33 games in the season, Dan Issel resigned and Coach Littles took on the interim role for 16 games, resulting in a 3-13 stretch. General Manager and veteran NBA coach Bernie Bickerstaff took on the coaching role finishing with a 20-12 coaching record and 41–41 team record. They were eliminated in the first round by Bob Hill and the San Antonio Spurs in 3 games (3-0).

Coach Littles was retained for two more seasons under Bickerstaff but did not qualify for the playoffs in those 2 seasons.

Notable Players Coached

  • Dikembe Mutombo
    • 8× NBA All-Star (1992, 1995–1998, 2000–2002)
    • All-NBA Second Team (2001)
    • 2× All-NBA Third Team (1998, 2002)
    • 4× NBA Defensive Player of the Year (1995, 1997, 1998, 2001)
    • 3× NBA All-Defensive First Team (1997, 1998, 2001)
    • 3× NBA All-Defensive Second Team (1995, 1999, 2002)
    • NBA All-Rookie First Team (1992)
    • 2× NBA rebounding leader (2000, 2001)
    • 3× NBA blocks leader (1994–1996)
    • No. 55 retired by Atlanta Hawks
    • No. 55 retired by Denver Nuggets
  • Dale Ellis
    • 1989 NBA All-Star
    • 1989 All-NBA Third Team
    • 1987 NBA Most Improved Player
    • 1989 NBA Three-Point Contest champion
  • Antonio McDyess
    • Future 2001 NBA All-Star
    • 1999 All-NBA Third Team (1999)
    • 1996 NBA All-Rookie First Team (1996)
  • Kenny “The Jet” Smith
    • 2× NBA champion (1994, 1995)
    • 1998 NBA All-Rookie First Team
  • Jalen Rose
    • Future 2000 NBA Most Improved Player
    • 1995 NBA All-Rookie Second Team
  • Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf
    • 1991 NBA All-Rookie Second Team
    • 1993 NBA Most Improved Player
  • Rodney Rogers (2000 NBA Sixth Man of the Year)
  • LaPhonso Ellis (1993 NBA All-Rookie First Team)