Matt Guokas Jr.

Matt Guokas Jr.

2x NBA Champion | NBA Coach | Player Development Specialist

Matt Guokas was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and is a former professional basketball player and NBA coach who was drafted in 1966 with the 9th overall pick in the 1st round. He won a championship in 1967 as a player with the Philadelphia 76ers. He later played for the Chicago Bulls, Cincinnati Royals / Kansas City-Omaha Kings, Houston Rockets, and Buffalo Braves in his 10 seasons as a player.

Guokas and his father, Matt Sr., were the first father-son duo to both win NBA championships as players (Matt Sr. won the BAA Championship in 1947 with the Philadelphia Warriors).

Guokas coached for 10 seasons in the NBA, including 2 head coaching stints with the Philadelphia 76ers and Orlando Magic.

  • Overall Coaching Record: 230-305
    • Philadelphia 76ers: 119-98
    • Orlando Magic: 111–217

Coaching Career

Guokas started his coaching career with his former team he won the 1967 NBA Championship with, the Philadelphia 76ers. He was an assistant coach under Billy Cunningham. In his first season, the team finished with a 65–17 record, 1st in the Eastern Conference, and won in 4 games against the Los Angeles Lakers in the 1983 NBA Finals.

The following season, the team went 52–30, 3rd in the Eastern Conference, but lost to the New Jersey Nets in 5 games (3-2) in the first round, who were coached by Stan Albeck. In 1985, the 76ers finished with a 58–24 record, 3rd in the Eastern Conference, and made a deep playoff run to the Eastern Conference finals, but lost in 5 games to the Boston Celtics.

Notable Players Coached

  • Julius “Dr. J” Erving
  • Moses Malone
  • Maurice Cheeks
  • Bobby Jones Defensive specialist and Sixth Man of the Year (1983).
  • Andrew Toney
  • Clint Richardson
  • Caldwell Jones
  • Marc Iavaroni

In 1985, Billy Cunningham retired after only 6 seasons as a coach, he was succeeded by Coach Guokas. In his first season as the head coach, he finished with a 54–28 record, reaching the conference semi-finals, but lost in 7 games against the Milwaukee Bucks. The following season, the team finished with a 45–37 record, but lost to the Bucks again in the first round of the playoffs.

After starting the season 20-203 in 1988, Guokas was fired and replaced by assistant coach Jim Lynam. Guokas had a coaching record of 119–88 in only 2 and a half seasons with the 76ers.

Notable Players Coached

  • Julius “Dr. J” Erving
    • 1981 NBA Most Valuable Player
    • 1983 NBA champion
    • 2× ABA champion
    • 2× ABA Playoffs MVP
    • 3× ABA Most Valuable Player
    • 11× NBA All-Star
    • 5× ABA All-Star (1972–1976)
    • 5× All-NBA First Team
    • 4× All-ABA First Team
    • ABA All-Time Team
    • ABA All-time MVP
    • 35th, 50th, and 75th NBA anniversary team selection
  • Moses Malone
    • 1983 NBA Champion
    • 1983 NBA Finals MVP
    • 12× NBA All-Star
    • 1975 ABA All-Star
    • 50th & 75th NBA anniversary Team
    • ABA All-Time Team
  • Charles Barkley (1993 NBA MVP, 11x NBA All-Star, & 50th and 70th NBA anniversary team selection)
  • Maurice Cheeks (1983 NBA Champion, 4× NBA All-Star, & 4× NBA All-Defensive First Team)
  • Andrew Toney (1983 Champion & 2x NBA All-Star)
  • Cliff Robinson

Guokas became the first head coach of the Orlando Magic in 1989. In his first season, the team finished with a record of 18–64 in their debut season. The following season, the team went 31-51, missing the playoffs again.

In 1991, the Magic drafted Shaquille O’Neal and the Magic finished with a 41-41 record, 9th in the Eastern Conference, only one game away from making the playoffs.

Coach Guokas retired after the season. He had a 111–217 record with the Orlando Magic as their head coach.

  • 1989-1990: 18–64; Missed the Playoffs
  • 1990-1991: 31–51; Missed the Playoffs
  • 1991-1992: 21–61; Missed the Playoffs
  • 1992-1993: 41–41; Missed the Playoffs

Notable Players Coached

  • Shaquille O’Neal
    • 1993 NBA Rookie of the Year
    • Future 4× NBA champion (2000–2002, 2006)
    • Future 3× NBA Finals MVP (2000–2002)
    • Future 2000 NBA Most Valuable Player
    • Future 15× NBA All-Star
    • Averaged 23.4 PPG and 13.9 RPG in his rookie season
  • Nick Anderson (First Draft Pick in Magic History; 1989 11th overall Pick)
  • Reggie Theus (2x NBA All-Star)
  • Terry Catledge (2× Sun Belt Player of the Year & Averaged 19.4 PPG in Orlando)