Houston Rockets coach Kevin McHale reacts in the third quarter against the Golden State Warriors in Game One of the Western Conference Finals on May 19. (Getty)
Rockets coach Kevin McHale has had a long and storied career on the hardwood, ranging from college hoops dominance at the University of Minnesota to a cameo on Cheers, where he played himself. But McHale is much more than his impressive stat line and coaching record.
The 57-year old McHale is a father, a husband and in desperate need of a win after the Rockets dropped a second straight disappointing loss to the Golden State Warriors this week.
Here’s what you need to know about the Hall of Fame coach ahead of Game 3 of the Western Conference Finals:
1. He Was a Star at Minnesota & a Hall of Fame Player for the Celtics
McHale has been playing basketball for decades, beginning with a dominant high school career in Minnesota before an All-Big Ten career at the University of Minnesota. The 6-10 power forward finished his collegiate career averaging 15.2 points and 8.5 rebounds a game. He was named the top player in the history of the University of Minnesota in 1995.
McHale was drafted third overall by the Boston Celtics in 1980 and became the power behind the team’s dynasty-like success at the time.
Over the course of his 13-year career, all in Boston, McHale averaged 17.8 points per game and notched 10 straight 1,000-point seasons from 1981-82 to 1990-91. His best year, however, came in the 1986-87 season, when he set career highs in scoring (26.1) and rebounding (9.9), becoming the first NBA player to shoot at least 60 percent from the field and 80 perfect from the free throw line in the same season.
Although his scoring numbers were impressive enough on their own, McHale was more than just an offensive threat. He averaged 4.9 defensive rebounds and 1.7 blocks per game as well throughout his career.
By the end of his career, McHale was part of what many consider the NBA’s best-ever frontline with small forward Larry Bird and center Robert Parish. The “Big Three” led the Celtics to five NBA Finals appearances and three championships while McHale was named NBA Sixth Man of the Year in 1984 and 1985. His 32 jersey was retired by the Celtics on January 30, 1994 and McHale was elected to the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in 1999.
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2. He Was a T-Wolves Front Office Exec & Coach & a Turner TV Analyst Before Coming to Houston
Kevin McHale coaching the Timberwolves in 2009. (Getty)
After retiring from playing in the NBA in 1994, McHale joined the Minnesota Timberwolves organization as a television analyst and “special assistant” before a quick promotion to Assistant General Manager that summer. In 1995, he took over as Vice President of Basketball Operations, hiring former University of Minnesota teammate Flip Saunders as head coach and selecting Kevin Garnett with the fifth overall pick in the ’95 NBA Draft.
McHale’s time with the ‘Wolves was not without a bit of controversy. During his time as VP, the NBA punished Minnesota for its secret deal with free agent forward Joe Smith, who signed three one-year contracts with the Timberwolves prior tot he 1998-99 season as a means to circumvent the salary cap rules. Minnesota was stripped of its next five first-round draft picks and fined $3.5 million.
Ultimately, McHale’s career took him back to the sidelines. He took over head coaching duties for the T’Wolves midway through the 2004-05 season and became the full-time coach on April 19, 2007. He coached Minnesota, full-time, for two seasons compiling a 39-55 overall record.
McHale was named the 12th head coach in Houston Rockets history on June 1, 2011 following two years as an analyst for NBA TV and Turner Sports.
3. He Signed a 3-Year Contract Extension With Houston This Season
Kevin McHale signed a three-year extension with the Rockets, then proceeded to lead them to the conference finals. (Getty)
There is, apparently, no problem in Houston.
McHale and the Rockets agreed to a three-year, fully guaranteed, contract extension this season, valued in excess of $12 million, per ESPN. The extension came on December 24, 2014.
Rockets general manager Daryl More confirmed the news on Christmas Eve:
Twitter.com/dmorey
At the time of his extension, McHale was 153-104 with the Rockets and has been credited with retooling the squad over the past few seasons following the acquisition of James Harden and Dwight Howard. The Rockets are making their third postseason appearance under McHale this season, a year after a first-round loss to the Portland Trail Blazers.
4. He’s Been Married to His Wife, Lynn, for More Than 30 Years
Kevin McHale speaks at his enshrinement in the Basketball Hall of Fame on October 1, 1999.
(Getty)
McHale and his wife Lynn were married on June 30, 1982, just two years into his professional career with the Boston Celtics. The two met in high school.
Lynn also made several appearances on Cheers in the early 1980’s, as did McHale who made a cameo as himself on the popular sitcom.
The couple have five children together; Kristyn, Michael, Alexandra, Joseph and Thomas.
McHale has always been a family man. When the Celtics visited the White House after winning the 1984 championship, Lynn and Kevin McHale brought their one-year old daughter Kristyn with the team. He even committed the ultimate basketball-playing sin in 1985, staying home with his family on Christmas Eve and morning instead of playing a noon game in New York on Christmas Day.
5. His Youngest Daughter, Alexandra, Died of Lupus in 2012
McHale’s youngest daughter, Alexandra, known by her family as Sasha, passed away in November 2012 after a battle with Lupus. She was 23 years old.
Alexandra McHale had battled lupus, an autoimmune disease, for years and was hospitalized in November with a related condition, as reported by the Houston Chronicle. Her condition worsened over the course of several hospital-bound weeks but Alexandra, who was an accomplished athlete in her own right, playing high school hoops at Totino-Grace High School Eagles in Minnesota, remained positive, even maintaining a presence on Twitter.
Houston Rockets owner Les Alexander released a statement after Alexandra’s death:
I extend my deepest condolences to Kevin and Lynn for the loss of their beautiful daughter, Sasha, on Saturday afternoon. Kevin and Lynn are loving and dedicated parents who will need our continued support throughout this very difficult time.
Following a leave of absence, McHale returned to the Rockets on December 14, 2012 against his former team in Boston with a 101-89 victory. It was, to say the least, an emotional return, highlighted by a tearful McHale being consoled by Kevin Garnett after the final whistle. (Watch the video at the top of this fact.)
