NBA: Ranking every active head coach by playing career

Every NBA head coach ranked by playing career: 11. Terry Stotts

Terry Stotts had the longest playing career yet on this list and got his start in high school in Indiana. He was a four-year starter at the University of Oklahoma, where he averaged 16.9 points, 4.6 rebounds, 3.9 assists and 1.5 steals per game as a senior. This was good enough for him to be named to All-Big Eight team and made him the first coach drafted by the NBA on this list.

Selected in the second round by the Houston Rockets in 1980, Stotts failed to earn a roster spot and began his career with Squibb Cantu in Italy. He came back to the U.S. to play for the Montana Golden Nuggets of the Continental Basketball Association (where he would meet future boss George Karl). The team folded after three seasons and Stotts went back to Europe to finish his playing career with CB Estudiantes, Etoile de Voiron, Chorale Roanne and Sceaux Basket before calling it a career.

To start his coaching career, Stotts would join the staff of former coach George Karl in the CBA with the Albany Patroons. He spent the next season as an assistant coach with the Fort Wayne Fury before again joining Karl with the Seattle Supersonics and eventually the Milwaukee Bucks. He got his first head coaching gig 27 games into the 2002-2003 season for the Atlanta Hawks.

After two seasons, he joined the coaching staff with the Golden State Warriors before getting a second chance as a headman with the Milwaukee Bucks. Stotts was let go after his second season, latching on soon after with the Dallas Mavericks. After being part of the staff of the 2011 championship Mavericks, Stotts would get another chance, this time, with the Portland Trail Blazers.