John Wetzel

John Wetzel started his coaching career with his alma matter as the head coach of the Virginia Tech Hokies women’s basketball team.

Coach Wetzel became an assistant coach under John MacLeod for the Phoenix Suns, his first NBA coaching position. In his first season as an assistant, the team finished with a 55–27 record, qualifying for the playoffs. They were eliminated in the Conference Finals in 5 games (4-1) by the Los Angeles Lakers.

In 1981, the Phoenix Suns finished with a 57-25 record, 1st place in the western conference, the first and only time they would finish in first under MacLeod. In 1984, the Suns made a deep playoff run to the conference finals, facing off against the Los Angeles Lakers and were eliminated in 6 games.

The Suns made their last playoff appearance under MacLeod in 1985 where they were eliminated in the first round by the Los Angeles Lakers in 3 games (3-0).

Notable Players Coached

• 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
• Paul Westphal
  • 1974 NBA champion
  • 5× NBA All-Star (1977–1981)
  • 3× All-NBA First Team (1977, 1979, 1980)
  • 1978 All-NBA Second Team
  • 1983 NBA Comeback Player of the Year
  • No. 44 retired by Phoenix Suns
• Walter Davis
  • 6× NBA All-Star (1978–1981, 1984, 1987)
  • 2× All-NBA Second Team (1978, 1979)
  • 1978 NBA Rookie of the Year
  • 1978 NBA All-Rookie First Team
  • No. 6 retired by Phoenix Suns
• Maurice Lucas
  • 1977 NBA champion
  • 4× NBA All-Star (1977–1979, 1983)
  • 1976 ABA All-Star
  • All-NBA Second Team (1978)
  • 1978 NBA All-Defensive First Team
  • 1979 NBA All-Defensive Second Team
  • ABA All-Time Team
  • No. 20 retired by Portland Trail Blazers
• Dennis Johnson
  • 3× NBA champion (1979, 1984, 1986)
  • 1979 NBA Finals MVP
  • 5× NBA All-Star (1979–1982, 1985)
  • 1981 All-NBA First Team
  • 1980 All-NBA Second Team
  • 6× NBA All-Defensive First Team (1979–1983, 1987)
  • 3× NBA All-Defensive Second Team (1984–1986)
  • No. 3 retired by Boston Celtics
• Larry Nance
  • 3× NBA All-Star (1985, 1989, 1993)
  • 1989 NBA All-Defensive First Team
  • 2× NBA All-Defensive Second Team (1992, 1993)
  • 1984 NBA Slam Dunk Contest champion
  • No. 22 retired by Cleveland Cavaliers
• Tom Van Arsdale
  • 3× NBA All-Star (1970–1972)
  • 1966 NBA All-Rookie First Team
• Alvan Adams
  • 1976 NBA All-Star
  • 1976 NBA Rookie of the Year
  • 1976 NBA All-Rookie First Team
  • No. 33 retired by Phoenix Suns
• Truck Robinson
  • 2× NBA All-Star (1978, 1981)
  • 1978 All-NBA First Team
  • 1978 NBA rebounding leader
• Jeff Hornacek
  • 1992 NBA All-Star
  • 2× NBA Three-Point Contest champion (1998, 2000)
  • No. 14 retired by Utah Jazz
  • Future Suns Head Coach

Coach Wetzel succeeded John MacLeod as the head coach of the Phoenix Suns after serving on his staff for 8 seasons. In his first and only season as the head coach, the Suns finished with a 28-54 record, missing the playoffs.

Notable Players Coached

• Kevin Johnson
  • 3× NBA All-Star (1990, 1991, 1994)
  • 4× All-NBA Second Team (1989–1991, 1994)
  • 1992 All-NBA Third Team
  • 1989 NBA Most Improved Player
  • No. 7 retired by Phoenix Suns
• Walter Davis
  • 6× NBA All-Star (1978–1981, 1984, 1987)
  • 2× All-NBA Second Team (1978, 1979)
  • 1978 NBA Rookie of the Year
  • 1978 NBA All-Rookie First Team
  • No. 6 retired by Phoenix Suns
• Alvan Adams
  • 1976 NBA All-Star
  • 1976 NBA Rookie of the Year
  • 1976 NBA All-Rookie First Team
  • No. 33 retired by Phoenix Suns
• Jeff Hornacek
  • 1992 NBA All-Star
  • 2× NBA Three-Point Contest champion (1998, 2000)
  • No. 14 retired by Utah Jazz
  • Future Suns Head Coach
• Eddie Johnson (1989 NBA Sixth Man of the Year)

Coach Wetzel became an assistant coach under Rick Adelman for the Portland Trail Blazers.

Coach Wetzel became an assistant coach under Butch Beard for the New Jersey Nets. In his first and only season as an assistant, the Nets finished with a 30–52 record, missing the playoffs.

Notable Players Coached

• Derrick Coleman
  • 1994 NBA All-Star
  • 2× All-NBA Third Team (1993, 1994)
  • 1991 NBA Rookie of the Year
  • 1991 NBA All-Rookie First Team
• Jayson Williams (1998 NBA All-Star)
• Sleepy Floyd (1987 NBA All-Star)
• Rick Mahorn
  • NBA champion (1989)
  • 1992 FIBA Korać Cup (1992)
  • 1990 BA All-Defensive Second Team
  • Future WNBA 2006 & 2008 champion as assistant coach

Coach Wetzel became an assistant coach for the Golden State Warriors, reuniting with Rick Adelman. In his first season as an assistant, the Warriors finished with a 36–46 record, missing the playoffs. The following season, the Warriors finished with a 30–52 record, missing the playoffs again.

Notable Players Coacheed

• Chris Mullin
  • 5× NBA All-Star (1989–1993)
  • 1992 All-NBA First Team
  • 2× All-NBA Second Team (1989, 1991)
  • 1990 All-NBA Third Team
  • No. 17 retired by Golden State Warriors
• Mark Price
  • 4× NBA All-Star (1989, 1992–1994)
  • 1993 All-NBA First Team
  • 3× All-NBA Third Team (1989, 1992, 1994)
  • 2× NBA Three-Point Contest champion (1993, 1994)
  • No. 25 retired by Cleveland Cavaliers
• Latrell Sprewell
  • 4× NBA All-Star (1994, 1995, 1997, 2001)
  • 1994 All-NBA First Team
  • 1994 NBA All-Defensive Second Team
  • 1993 NBA All-Rookie Second Team
• B.J. Armstrong
  • 3× NBA champion (1991–1993)
  • 1994 NBA All-Star
• Kevin Willis
  • 2003 NBA champion
  • 1992 NBA All-Star
  • 1992 All-NBA Third Team
• Rony Seikaly (1990 NBA Most Improved Player)
• Joe Smith (1996 NBA All-Rookie First Team)

Coach Wetzel followed Rick Adelman to become an assistant coach on his staff for the Sacramento Kings. In his first season, the league had a shortened season due to the 1998 lockout, which resulted in the Kings finishing with a 27–23 record, qualifying for the playoffs. They were eliminated by Jerry Sloan and the Utah Jazz in 5 games (3-2).

In 2002, the Kings finished with a 61–21 record, making a deep playoff run to the Western Conference Finals, but were eliminated after a hard-fought battle of 7 games against Phil Jackson and the Los Angeles Lakers.

Notable Players Coached

• Chris Webber
  • 5× NBA All-Star (1997, 2000–2003)
  • 2001 All-NBA First Team
  • 3× All-NBA Second Team (1999, 2002, 2003)
  • 2000 All-NBA Third Team
  • 1994 NBA Rookie of the Year
  • 1994 NBA All-Rookie First Team
  • 1999 NBA rebounding leader
  • No. 4 retired by Sacramento Kings
• Peja Stojaković
  • 2011 NBA champion
  • 3× NBA All-Star (2002–2004)
  • 2004 All-NBA Second Team
  • 2× NBA Three-Point Contest champion (2002, 2003)
  • No. 16 retired by Sacramento Kings
• Vlade Divac
  • 2001 NBA All-Star
  • 1990 NBA All-Rookie First Team
  • No. 21 retired by Sacramento Kings
• Gerald Wallace
  • 2010 NBA All-Star
  • 2010 NBA All-Defensive First Team
  • 2006 NBA steals leader
• Doug Christie
  • 2003 NBA All-Defensive First Team
  • 3× NBA All-Defensive Second Team (2001, 2002, 2004)
• Corliss Williamson
  • 2004 NBA champion
  • 2002 NBA Sixth Man of the Year
• Hedo Türkoğlu
  • 2008 NBA Most Improved Player
  • 2001 NBA All-Rookie Second Team
• Bobby Jackson
  • 2003 NBA Sixth Man of the Year
  • 1998 NBA All-Rookie Second Team
• Jason Williams
  • 2006 NBA champion
  • 1999 NBA All-Rookie First Team