Cotton Fitzsimmons
Cotton Fitzsimmons
Born: October 7, 1931
Hannibal, MO
Deceased: July 24, 2004
Coaching Career: 1970-1996
Elected to Basketball Hall of Fame in 2021.
Cotton Fitzsimmons compiled a record of 832 wins and 775 losses in his coaching career with the Atlanta Hawks, Buffalo Braves, Kansas City Kings, Phoenix Suns and San Antonio Spurs. He began coaching during the 1970 season and last coached during the 1996 campaign. Fitzsimmons was elected to the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2021.
Coaching Record:
| Regular Season | Playoffs | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | League | Team | G | W | L | Win% | G | W | L | Win% | ||
| 1970-71 | NBA | Phoenix Suns | 82 | 48 | 34 | .585 | ||||||
| 1971-72 | NBA | Phoenix Suns | 82 | 49 | 33 | .598 | ||||||
| 1972-73 | NBA | Atlanta Hawks | 82 | 46 | 36 | .561 | 6 | 2 | 4 | .333 | ||
| 1973-74 | NBA | Atlanta Hawks | 82 | 35 | 47 | .427 | ||||||
| 1974-75 | NBA | Atlanta Hawks | 82 | 31 | 51 | .378 | ||||||
| 1975-76 | NBA | Atlanta Hawks | 74 | 28 | 46 | .378 | ||||||
| 1977-78 | NBA | Buffalo Braves | 82 | 27 | 55 | .329 | ||||||
| 1978-79 | NBA | Kansas City Kings | 82 | 48 | 34 | .585 | 5 | 1 | 4 | .200 | ||
| 1979-80 | NBA | Kansas City Kings | 82 | 47 | 35 | .573 | 3 | 1 | 2 | .333 | ||
| 1980-81 | NBA | Kansas City Kings | 82 | 40 | 42 | .488 | 15 | 7 | 8 | .467 | ||
| 1981-82 | NBA | Kansas City Kings | 82 | 30 | 52 | .366 | ||||||
| 1982-83 | NBA | Kansas City Kings | 82 | 45 | 37 | .549 | ||||||
| 1983-84 | NBA | Kansas City Kings | 82 | 38 | 44 | .463 | 3 | 0 | 3 | .000 | ||
| 1984-85 | NBA | San Antonio Spurs | 82 | 41 | 41 | .500 | 5 | 2 | 3 | .400 | ||
| 1985-86 | NBA | San Antonio Spurs | 82 | 35 | 47 | .427 | 3 | 0 | 3 | .000 | ||
| 1988-89 | NBA | Phoenix Suns | 82 | 55 | 27 | .671 | 12 | 7 | 5 | .583 | ||
| 1989-90 | NBA | Phoenix Suns | 82 | 54 | 28 | .659 | 16 | 9 | 7 | .563 | ||
| 1990-91 | NBA | Phoenix Suns | 82 | 55 | 27 | .671 | 4 | 1 | 3 | .250 | ||
| 1991-92 | NBA | Phoenix Suns | 82 | 53 | 29 | .646 | 8 | 4 | 4 | .500 | ||
| 1995-96 | NBA | Phoenix Suns | 49 | 27 | 22 | .551 | 4 | 1 | 3 | .250 | ||
| 1996-97 | NBA | Phoenix Suns | 8 | 0 | 8 | .000 | ||||||
| Totals | 1607 | 832 | 775 | .518 | 84 | 35 | 49 | .417 | ||||
Awards
1978 - NBA Coach of the Year
1988 - NBA Coach of the Year
