Minnesota Timberwolves: 5 most successful former Wolves head coaches
By Ben Beecken
Minnesota Timberwolves: Successful former head coaches
No. 4: Randy Wittman
- Head coach of Timberwolves from 2006-08
- 38-105 record while with Wolves (.266 winning percentage)
- Combined record of 178-199 (.472) as head coach after leaving Wolves
Ah, Randy Wittman. Along with Lowe, Wittman is a familiar presence for long-time Minnesota Timberwolves fans.
A confidant of Flip Saunders, Wittman was a Wolves assistant for five years in the mid-to-late ’90s, leaving for a two-year stint as head coach of the Cavaliers. After his dismissal, he was back on the Wolves bench for four of the next five seasons. Wittman became head coach when Dwane Casey was fired after a 20-20 start to the 2006-07 campaign (more on Casey later) and held the post for all of 2007-08 and the start of 2008-09 before his firing.
Over one full season and two partial campaigns, Witt put up a 38-105 record. Admittedly, it was a roster largely devoid of talent, and especially so when Kevin Garnett was traded to Boston in the summer of 2007.
Wittman gave way to Kevin McHale, who descended from the front office to coach the balance of the 2008-09 season — more on McHale later, too.
Wittman followed the elder Saunders to Washington as an assistant for three years before taking over the job himself after Flip scuffled to a 2-15 start to the 2011-12 campaign. Wittman struggled in his first season-plus in D.C. before ultimately taking the Wizards on back-to-back playoff trips, winning 44 games in 2013-14 and 46 in 2014-15. Of course, the team was seen as underachieving with John Wall, Bradley Beal and others on the roster.
After a 41-41 season in 2015-16, Wittman gave way to former Oklahoma City head coach Scott Brooks, and Wittman hasn’t been on an NBA bench since.
Next up, another former friend of Flip’s…