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NBA: Ranking every active head coach by playing career

By Corey Rausch

March 23, 2021; San Francisco, California, USA; Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr during the fourth quarter against the Philadelphia 76ers at Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
March 23, 2021; San Francisco, California, USA; Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr during the fourth quarter against the Philadelphia 76ers at Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports /
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Scott Brooks
Scott Brooks (Photo by Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images) /

Every NBA head coach ranked by playing career: 8. Scott Brooks

Scott Brooks may be wearing out his welcome with the Washington Wizards, but he is the first person on this list to have a lengthy professional playing career. Things got off to a rocky start, playing his freshman college season at TCU before transferring to San Joaquin Delta College for a season. He finally got a Division I chance close to home with the University of California at Irvine.

Brooks exploded in his senior season, averaging 23.8 points, 3.8 assists and 2.4 steals per game. He was named to the All-PCAA First-Team but was still not drafted after his college career.

Brooks started his professional career in the CBA with the Albany Patroons, making the all-rookie team and winning a championship in his second season. He made a stop in the World Basketball League, playing for the Fresno Flames. He then made it to the NBA where he played for 10 seasons with six different teams. Over his career, he averaged 4.9 points, 2.4 assists and 1.0 rebounds per game and shot 37.2 percent from distance.

He would go on to finish his professional career with the Los Angeles Stars of the American Basketball Association, where he was a player-assistant coach. He got his first head coaching chance the next season for the Southern California Surf.

After one season, he moved on to the NBA, taking assistant coaching opportunities with the Denver Nuggets, Sacramento Kings and Seattle SuperSonics. He would move with the Sonics to Oklahoma City and would eventually take over as head coach of the Thunder. After seven seasons there, he was let go and then landed with the Washington Wizards.