Mike Fratello

Mike Fratello began his professional coaching career as a graduate assistant for the Rhode Island Rams men’s basketball team under Tom Carmody.

Coach Fratello became an assistant coach for the James Madison Dukes men’s basketball team under head coach Lou Campanelli for 3 seasons.

Coach Fratello spent 3 seasons as an assistant coach under Rollie Massimino for the Villanova Wildcats men’s basketball team of Villanova University.

Coach Fratello’s first NBA coaching position was with the Atlanta Hawks as an assistant coach under Hubie Brown. His fellow assistant coach for the 1978-1979 was Frank Layden before his departure for the Utah Jazz. In Fratello’s first season as an assistant coach, the team finished with a 46–36 record, qualifying for the playoffs, but were eliminated in the conference semifinals to Dick Motta and the Washington Bullets in 7 games.

The following season, the Hawks finished with a 50–32 record, reaching the semifinals, but were eliminated in 5 games by the Philadelphia 76ers.

In 1981, after a 31-48 record, Coach Brown was fired and replaced by Fratello on an interim basis for the reminader of the season.

Notable Players Coached

• Tree Rollins
  • 1984 NBA All-Defensive First Team
  • 1983 NBA All-Defensive Second Team
  • 1983 NBA blocks leader
• Dan Roundfield
  • 3× NBA All-Star (1980–1982)
  • 1980 All-NBA Second Team
  • 3× NBA All-Defensive First Team (1980, 1982, 1983)
• Eddie Johnson Jr.
  • 2× NBA All-Star (1980, 1981)
  • 2× NBA All-Defensive Second Team (1979, 1980)
• John Drew
  • 2× NBA All-Star (1976, 1980)
  • 1975 NBA All-Rookie First Team
• Armond Hill (Future NBA coach)

Coach Fratello followed Hubie Brown to the New York Knicks as an assistant coach. In his first and only season as an assistant, the Knicks finished with a 44–38 record, qualifying for the playoffs. They were eliminated in the conference semifinals in 4 games (4-0) by the Philadelphia 76ers.

Notable Players Coached

• 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
• Bernard King
  • 4× NBA All-Star (1982, 1984, 1985, 1991)
  • 2× All-NBA First Team (1984, 1985)
  • 1982 All-NBA Second Team
  • 1991 All-NBA Third Team
  • 1981 NBA Comeback Player of the Year
  • 1978 NBA All-Rookie Team
  • 1985 NBA scoring champion
• Bill Cartwright
  • 3× NBA champion (1991–1993)
  • 1980 NBA All-Star
  • 1980 NBA All-Rookie First Team
• Truck Robinson
  • 2× NBA All-Star (1978, 1981)
  • 1978 All-NBA First Team
  • 1978 NBA rebounding leader
• Ernie Grunfeld (Future NBA General Manager)

Coach Fratello succeeded Kevin Loughery as the head coach of the Atlanta Hawks. In his first season, the Hawks finished with a 40–42 record, qualifying for the playoffs. They were eliminated in the first round by the Milwaukee Bucks in 5 games (3-2). The following season, the Hawks finished with a 34–48 record, missing the playoffs. Fratello was named Coach of the Year for the 1985–86 season.

In 1986, the Hawks returned to the playoffs, reaching the conference semifinals, but were eliminated by the Boston Celtics in 5 games (4-1). The following season in 1987, the team finished with a 57–25 record, first place in the Eastern Conference, they were eliminated in the semifinals against the Detroit Pistons in 5 games. In 1988, they would reach the semifinals for the last season under Fratello, being defeated by the Celtics in 7 games.

After the 1989-1990 season, Fratello resigned and moved on in his coaching career.

As the head coach of the Atlanta Hawks, Fratello had an overall coaching record of 324–250 and the most playoff wins with 18, both being the most in Hawks history as of 2026.

Notable Players Coached

• Moses Malone
  • 1983 NBA champion
  • 1983 NBA Finals MVP
  • 3× NBA Most Valuable Player (1979, 1982, 1983)
  • 12× NBA All-Star (1978–1989)
  • 1975 ABA All-Star
  • 4× All-NBA First Team (1979, 1982, 1983, 1985)
  • NBA All-Defensive First Team (1983)
  • 1975 ABA All-Rookie Team
  • 6× NBA rebounding leader (1979, 1981–1985)
  • 50th & 75th NBA anniversary team selections
  • ABA All-Time Team
• Dominique Wilkins
  • 9× NBA All Star (1986–1994)
  • 1986 All-NBA First Team
  • 4× All-NBA Second Team (1987, 1988, 1991, 1993)
  • 2× All-NBA Third Team (1989, 1994)
  • 1983 NBA All-Rookie First Team
  • 1986 NBA scoring champion
  • 2× NBA Slam Dunk Contest champion (1985, 1990)
  • NBA 75th Anniversary Team selection
  • No. 21 retired by Atlanta Hawks
• Dan Roundfield
  • 3x NBA All-Star (1980–1982)
  • All-NBA Second Team (1980)
  • 3× NBA All-Defensive First Team (1980, 1982, 1983)
  • 2× NBA All-Defensive Second Team (1981, 1984)
• Gus Williams
  • 1979 NBA champion
  • 2× NBA All-Star (1982, 1983)
  • 1982 All-NBA First Team
  • 1980 All-NBA Second Team
  • 1982 NBA Comeback Player of the Year
  • 1976 NBA All-Rookie First Team
  • No. 1 retired by Seattle SuperSonics
• Reggie Theus (2× NBA All-Star)
• Tree Rollins
  • 1984 NBA All-Defensive First Team
  • 1983 NBA All-Defensive Second Team
  • 1983 NBA blocks leader
• Eddie Johnson Jr.
  • 2× NBA All-Star (1980, 1981)
  • 2× NBA All-Defensive Second Team (1979, 1980)
• Kevin Willis
  • 2003 NBA champion
  • 1992 NBA All-Star
  • 1992 All-NBA Third Team
• Doc Rivers (1988 NBA All-Star & 2008 NBA champion as Head Coach)
• Spud Webb (1986 NBA Slam Dunk Contest champion)
• Sidney Lowe (Future NBA Head Coach)
• Randy Wittman (Future NBA Head Coach)
• Johnny Davis (1977 NBA champion & Future NBA coach)

Coach Fratello succeeded Lenny Wilkens as the head coach of the Cleveland Cavaliers. In his first season, the Cavaliers finished with a 47–35 record, qualifying for the playoffs, they were eliminated in the first round by Phil Jackson and the Chicago Bulls in 3 games (3-0). The following season, the Cavaliers finished with a 43–39 record, qualifying for the playoffs where they were eliminated in 4 games (3-1) By Pat Riley and the New York Knicks.

As of 2026, Fratello has the 4th most regular season coaching wins in Cleveland Cavaliers history with 248.

Notable Players Coached

• 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
• Brad Daughtery
  • 5× NBA All-Star (1988, 1989, 1991–1993)
  • 1992 All-NBA Third Team
  • 1987 NBA All-Rookie First Team
  • No. 43 retired by Cleveland Cavaliers
• 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
• Shawn Kemp
  • 6× NBA All-Star (1993–1998)
  • 3× All-NBA Second Team (1994–1996)
• Dan Majerle
  • 3× NBA All-Star (1992, 1993, 1995)
  • 2× NBA All-Defensive Second Team (1991, 1993)
  • No. 9 retired by Phoenix Suns
• Zydrunas Ilgauskas
  • 2× NBA All-Star (2003, 2005)
  • 1998 NBA All-Rookie First Team
  • No. 11 retired by Cleveland Cavaliers
• Tyrone Hill (1995 NBA All-Star)
• Harold Miner (2× NBA Slam Dunk Contest champion)
• Scott Brooks (1994 NBA champion & Future 2010 NBA Coach of the Year)
• Hot Rod Williams (1987 NBA All-Rookie First Team)

Coach Fratello returned to coaching to succeed Hubie Brown as the head coach of the Memphis Grizzlies, the second time he succeeded brown for a head coaching position. In his first season the Grizzlies finished with a 49–33 record, qualifying for the playoffs. They were eliminated in the first round by the Dallas Mavericks in 4 games.

The following season, Coach Fratello was fired in December 2005 after a 6–24 start. He was later replaced by assistant coach Tony Barone.

Notable Players Coached

• Pau Gasol
  • 2× NBA champion (2009, 2010)
  • 6× NBA All-Star (2006, 2009–2011, 2015, 2016)
  • 2× All-NBA Second Team (2011, 2015)
  • 2× All-NBA Third Team (2009, 2010)
  • 2002 NBA Rookie of the Year
  • 2002 NBA All-Rookie First Team
  • No. 16 retired by Los Angeles Lakers
• Shane Battier
  • 2× NBA champion (2012, 2013)
  • 2× NBA All-Defensive Second Team (2008, 2009)
  • 2002 NBA All-Rookie First Team
• Mike Miller
  • 2× NBA champion (2012, 2013)
  • 2006 NBA Sixth Man of the Year
  • 2001 NBA Rookie of the Year
  • 2001 NBA All-Rookie First Team
• James Posey
  • 2× NBA champion (2006, 2008)
  • 2000 NBA All-Rookie Second Team
• Jason Williams
  • 2006 NBA champion
  • 1999 NBA All-Rookie First Team
• Damon Stoudamire
  • 1996 NBA Rookie of the Year
  • 1996 NBA All-Rookie First Team

On February 24, 2011, Coach Fratello was officially announced as the Ukraine national basketball team head coach and on March 3, 2011, he was introduced to the Ukrainian media at a press conference in Kyiv. His 2011 coaching staff consisted of Dice Yoshimoto, Kenny Atkinson, and Ed Pickney.

In 2012, he recruited Bob Hill, Jay Larranaga, Jack Nolan, Rich Dalatri, Joe Wolf, and Zach Guthrie for his coaching staff.

In 2014, the national team won their first ever match in the World Cup, defeating the Dominican Republic 72–62. In their second match of the tournament confident, Finland would pull out a narrow 81–76 victory to drop Ukraine to a record of 1–1. Entering their third match, Ukraine went up against Turkey, and the national team eventually won a hard-fought 64–58 contest, before their pivotal game versus New Zealand.

With a berth into the Round of 16 on the line, Ukraine needed one more victory to advance. But they were unsuccessful in the crucial match, as they lost 73–61. In the must win game for Ukraine, the national team got off to a strong start, to even possess the lead after the first period. However, the United States won the game, which led to the team being eliminated from the tournament altogether by the score of 71–95.