Chris Fleming (basketball)
Chris Fleming (born March 3, 1970) is an American professional basketball coach who is currently an assistant coach for the Chicago Bulls of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He was also a professional basketball player, who spent his whole pro playing career with the German 2nd Division club QTSV.
Fleming with Germany in 2016 | |
Chicago Bulls | |
---|---|
Position | Assistant coach |
League | NBA |
Personal information | |
Born | March 3, 1970 |
Nationality | American |
Listed height | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) |
Career information | |
High school | Lacey Township (Lacey Township, New Jersey) |
College | Richmond (1989–1993) |
NBA draft | 1993 / Undrafted |
Playing career | 1994–2000 |
Career history | |
As player: | |
1994–2000 | QTSV |
As coach: | |
1998–1999 | QTSV (assistant) |
2000–2008 | QTSV / Artland Dragons |
2005 | Germany Under-20 |
2008–2014 | Brose Baskets |
2014–2017 | Germany |
2015–2016 | Denver Nuggets (assistant) |
2016–2019 | Brooklyn Nets (assistant) |
2019–2020 | Chicago Bulls (lead assistant) |
2020–present | Chicago Bulls (assistant) |
Career highlights and awards | |
As coach:
|
Playing career
College
Fleming grew up in Long Beach Island, New Jersey, before moving to Forked River, New Jersey with his family, when he was ten years of age.[1] After playing high school basketball at Lacey Township High School,[2] Fleming played college basketball at the University of Richmond, with the Richmond Spiders.
Professional
Fleming played professional basketball from 1994 to 2000, with the German 2nd Division club QTSV, based in the city of Quakenbrück. That is where he met his wife Anne.[3]
Coaching career
Fleming began his coaching career as an assistant basketball coach with QTSV in 1998. In 2000, he became the head coach of QTSV and remained in that job until 2008. He guided the Quakenbrück-based team to promotion to the German top-flight level Basketball-Bundesliga, and to a German Cup title in 2008. He then became the head coach of Brose Bamberg in 2008. In October 2012, he extended his contract with Brose Baskets through 2016.[4][5] However, in May 2014, Fleming parted ways with the club.[6] Under Fleming's guidance, Bamberg captured four German championships and three German Cup titles. Fleming also received Bundesliga Coach of the Year honors in 2011.[7]
Fleming was a member of the coaching staff of the San Antonio Spurs at the 2014 NBA Summer League.[8] In November 2014, he was appointed the new coach of the senior German national basketball team, by the German Basketball Federation.[9][10] In July 2015, Fleming was named an assistant coach of the Denver Nuggets.[11] On July 5, 2016, Fleming was named an assistant coach of the Brooklyn Nets.[12] His last game as head coach of the German national team was a 72–84 loss to Spain in the quarterfinals of the 2017 European Championships.[13] He had opted to focus solely on his job as assistant coach at the Brooklyn Nets.[14]
In May 2019, the Chicago Bulls, under head coach Jim Boylen, hired Fleming as the lead assistant coach.[15] Fleming was retained by new head coach Billy Donovan prior to the 2020-21 NBA season.
Awards and accomplishments
Coaching career
- 4x German Cup Winner: (2008, 2010, 2011, 2012)
- 4x German League Champion: (2010, 2011, 2012, 2013)
- 3x German Supercup Winner: (2010, 2011, 2012)
- German League Coach of the Year: (2011)
References
- "One Denver Nuggets coach is bringing new perspective to team". bsndenver.com. Retrieved 2017-09-15.
- Carchidi, Sam. "It's Time: The Basketball Playoffs Are Here", The Philadelphia Inquirer, February 29, 1988. Accessed December 21, 2014. "There isn't a clear-cut favorite among a contingent that features second-seeded Lacey Township - which is led by swingman Chris Fleming, a University of Connecticut-bound senior who is averaging 31.9 points per game - third-seeded Eastern, sixth-seeded Willingboro and seventh-seeded Middle Township, which won the Group 2 title last year."
- "Zwischendurch das "Ja"-Wort". noz.de. Retrieved 2016-07-16.
- Euroleague.net Brose Baskets extends Coach Fleming and staff.
- Sportando.net Bamberg extends coach Chris Fleming through 2016.
- "Brose Baskets Bamberg, Chris Fleming part ways". Sportando. Retrieved 23 May 2014.
- "One Denver Nuggets coach is bringing new perspective to team". bsndenver.com. Retrieved 2016-07-17.
- "Spurs Announce 2014 Summer League Roster | San Antonio Spurs". Retrieved 2016-07-17.
- "Germany Unveil Fleming As Head Coach | FIBA Europe". www.fibaeurope.com. Retrieved 2016-07-17.
- http://www.bild.de/sport/mehr-sport/deutsche-basketballnationalmannschaft/fleming-neuer-bundestrainer-38631512.bild.html
- "Michael Malone finalizes Denver Nuggets coaching staff". DenverPost.com. July 4, 2015. Retrieved July 7, 2015.
- "Brooklyn Nets Finalize Coaching Staff". NBA. July 5, 2016. Retrieved July 10, 2016.
- Sportschau.de (2017-09-12). "Basketball-EM, Viertelfinale: Spanien lässt Deutschland keine Chance" (in German). Retrieved 2017-09-13.
- Allgemeine, Augsburger. "Basketball-Bundestrainer Fleming geht definitiv zurück in die NBA". Augsburger Allgemeine (in German). Retrieved 2017-09-13.
- Chicago Bulls to hire Nets assistant Chris Fleming, Sportando, 2019-05-09