Michael Malone is one of the best coaches in the NBA. Mike’s recognition had risen after his arrival in Denver. After coaching the Nuggets for eight seasons, Malone finally led his team to a championship.
Though behind his huge success was the teaching of yet another NBA coach. Malone’s father, Brendan Malone spent around 30 years in the league, coaching six teams in total. Born on April 21st, 1942, Brendan Thomas Malone grew up in Queens, New York City.
He attended a private Roman Catholic school, Iona College, and played for a year for the Iona Gaels. Malone graduated college at the age of 20 with a bachelor’s degree. He then became a junior Varsity basketball coach in 1967 for the Power Memorial Academy.
After graduating from New York University with a master’s degree in physical education, Brendan continued to coach Power Memorial for six years. He had led the team to two championships, and he later joined Fordham Rams in 1976, as an assistant coach. Brendan was an assistant coach at Yale, Syracuse, and Rhode Island before coming to the league.
Brendan Malone was once assigned to coach under his son Michael Malone
Malone first came into the league in 1986 as the assistant coach of the New York Knicks under Hubie Brown. Brendan would then have the same role after joining the Pistons in 1988. This was around the time when the team was termed as the ‘Bad Boy Pistons’.
The infamous Jordan Rules were also made by the team’s coaching staff. Malone coached under Chuck Daly, as the team won back-to-back titles, from 89′-90′. Brendan would be the assistant coach for the Pistons till 1995.
The NBA’s expansion brought in two new teams based in Canadian cities. The Vancouver Grizzlies and the Toronto Raptors. Malone had his first head coaching job for the Raptors in 95′. Though after a rough debut, the Raptors finished the season with a record of 21-61.
The following season, Malone returned to New York, as he served as an assistant coach for the Knicks from 1996-2000. Brendan then followed the same role in Indiana and Cleveland. In 2005, Malone coached his second season as the head coach of the Cavs.
He then coached under Stan Van Gundy in Orlando for five years. In 2013, the Kings hired Brendan as an assistant coach under his son, Michael Malone, who was just starting his head coaching career. Though as the regular season approached, Brendan resigned due to a medical condition. The following year, Brendan would join the Pistons for the last time as an assistant coach under Stan Van Gundy and would retire two years later, in 2016.
Malone spent 30 seasons coaching in the league, out of which he was assigned the head coaching job for two seasons. Brendan has seen it all, from the Bad Boy Pistons to having the opportunity of coaching under his son one day. Malone is truly an experienced coach and has taught his son well, who led a franchise to its first title in 47 years.