Tyronn Lue

“I was just a young kid out of Mexico, Missouri, and then Kansas City, having an opportunity to play at the University of Nebraska, where I grew as a man.”

Tyronn Lue

Basketball Player/Coach

Tyronn Lue was a dominating basketball player but will go down in history for his accomplishments as a coach. He thrilled fans at gymnasiums across Missouri and eventually in arenas across the country. He won two NBA championships as a player and one in 2016 as a first-year coach for the Cleveland Cavaliers. The LeBron James-led team helped make Lue one of the few “rookie” head coaches to win the title, and one of the only coaches to rally his team to a championship after being down three games to one.

Early Years

Lue was born on May 3, 1977, and grew up in Mexico, Missouri. Although he was making a name for himself playing basketball in mid-Missouri, his family wanted him to have more exposure to college recruiters by playing in a larger metro area like Kansas City. He enrolled at Raytown South High School prior to his sophomore year, where he was surrounded by other great players and became a force in Missouri prep basketball. He graduated in 1995. His abilities had been noticed by college coaches across the country, and he parlayed that success into a scholarship at the University of Nebraska.

Rise to Fame

The point guard quickly became one of the most successful players in university history. He started nearly every game as a freshman, and the team won the NIT in 1996 by defeating St. Joseph’s University. That year Lue made the Big 12 All-Freshman team. He made the All-Big 12 second team in his sophomore year, and was an honorable mention All-American in his junior year. Then he decided to go pro. In 1998, he was picked in the first round by Denver, then traded to the Los Angeles Lakers.

Show Me Success

The trade to Los Angeles could not have happened at a better time for Lue, as far as championships were concerned. He joined a team full of superstars that won the NBA championship twice in his first three seasons, although his playing time was limited. In 2001, he was traded to the Washington Wizards, where his career began to blossom as a scoring threat and a leader on the floor. His on-court knowledge impressed opposing coaches, who said he had a career in coaching after his playing days were over. So, after the 2008-2009 season, he retired, called legendary coach Doc Rivers, and said he was ready to change careers. He learned the ropes with Rivers and the Boston Celtics until his time in the coaching spotlight arrived.

Tyronn Lue was named associate head coach of the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2014 and became head coach after David Blatt was fired midway through the season. He was now coaching the best player in the NBA, LeBron James. The team rolled through the playoffs by winning 10 games in a row, with Lue setting the record as the first NBA coach to win their first 10 playoff games. He saw his team fall behind three games to one against Golden State, then rallied them to win the final three games and the title. In the process, he became one of the only rookie head coaches to win the title and the 14th person to have won championships as both a player and a coach.

Extra, Extra!

• -His Nebraska Cornhuskers jersey has been retired by the university.
• -Tyronn Lue and NBA star Jayson Tatum are first cousins once removed.
• -He was named the All-Star Game head coach in 2016.