Philip Brownstein
Chicago Stags Head Coach | BAA & NBA Assistant Coach | Chicago Basketball Coach
Philip Brownstein was born on May 17, 1906, in Chicago, Illinois. He became a longtime basketball coach and educator in Chicago before joining the professional game.
Brownstein served as an assistant coach with the Chicago Stags during the franchise’s first three BAA seasons.
He went 10-1 as an interim head coach during the 1948-1949 season before becoming Chicago’s full-time head coach in 1949-1950. Brownstein finished his BAA/NBA head coaching career with a 50-29 record.
Coach Brownstein passed away on February 11, 1999, at the age of 92.
- Overall Coaching Record: 50-29
Coaching Career
Philip Brownstein joined the Chicago Stags as an assistant coach under Harold Olsen when the franchise began play in the BAA in 1946.
Brownstein remained on the staff through the 1948-1949 season. During that year, he took over on an interim basis for 11 games and went 10-1 before Olsen returned.
Brownstein became the Stags’ full-time head coach for the 1949-1950 season. Chicago finished 40-28 in the regular season and reached the playoffs.
The Stags lost a Central Division tiebreaker to the Fort Wayne Pistons before being eliminated by the Minneapolis Lakers in the Division Semifinals. Chicago folded following the season.
Brownstein finished his BAA/NBA head coaching career with a 50-29 regular-season record.
Notable Players Coached
- Max Zaslofsky
- 1948 BAA Scoring Champion
- 4× All-BAA/NBA selection
- 1952 NBA All-Star
- Andy Phillip
- Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame (1961)
- 1957 NBA Champion
- Future NBA Head Coach