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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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Steve Clifford
Steve Clifford (Photo by Douglas P. DeFelice/Getty Images) /

Every NBA head coach ranked by playing career: 26. Steve Clifford

Steve Clifford comes from humble basketball beginnings. He started playing in high school for his father, Gerald, and his North Country Union team. The younger Clifford was a good enough high school player to get recruited to a Division III college. Steve Clifford attended the University of Maine at Farmington where he was a defensive leader. During his junior and senior year, he was the captain of the team and was named the team’s Defensive Player of the Year.

After his playing career, Clifford graduated with a degree in special education and went on to a life of coaching and teaching. He began in high school before moving on to assistant coaching stints with five different colleges and four NBA teams. Clifford appeared to be on track to be a journeyman coach who never got a real opportunity.

Clifford has been solid during his time with the Charlotte Bobcats/Hornets and Orlando Magic. Much like his playing career he ultimately gets the most out of whatever talent is available to him. He is all about the grind and is a coaches coach through and through, learning from his father’s teaching’s all the way back in high school.