The National Basketball Coaches Association announced that former Los Angeles Lakers head coach Paul Westhead will be the recipient of the 2026 Chuck Daly Lifetime Achievement Award. Westhead’s coaching career spans more than 40 years in the college and professional ranks in both men’s and women’s basketball.
“We are honored to recognize Paul Westhead as the recipient of the Chuck Daly Lifetime Achievement Award,” said Detroit Pistons Head Coach and NBCA President J.B. Bickerstaff. “Coach Westhead’s impact on the game extends far beyond wins and championships. He challenged conventional thinking, introduced ideas that were ahead of their time, and influenced generations of coaches across every level of men’s and women’s basketball. His commitment to innovation, teaching, and the growth of our game has left a lasting mark on our profession, making him truly deserving of this recognition.”
Westhead got his first head coach role at La Salle University before joining the Lakers as an assistant coach in 1979 under Jack McKinney. He would succeed McKinney and lead the Lakers to the NBA Championship in 1980 behind Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and rookie Magic Johnson.
Westhead would also have head coaching stops with the Chicago Bulls and Denver Nuggets as well as college stops Loyola Maramount and George Mason. In 2007 he would lead the Phoenix Mercury of the WNBA to a championship, making him the only coach to win an NBA and WNBA Championship.
“I am grateful to receive the Chuck Daly Lifetime Achievement Award,” said Westhead. “Chuck was a good friend of mine, who helped me in my early coaching career, back in Philadelphia. It was always a challenge to coach against Chuck. He usually outsmarted me, but in how to dress for the game Chuck never came in second. And at a social event, Chuck could work the room like no other. I gave him the nickname “Glide” for how easily he would move from one group to another.
“I’m honored to join a select group of coaches including my college coach, Jack Ramsay. He taught me the game, and more importantly how to care for your players. I am thankful for all the coaches who worked with me during my NBA coaching career. From Jack McKinney, who gave me my start with the LA Lakers, to P.J. Carlesimo who hired me for my last job with the Seattle SuperSonics.
“Also, I am appreciative of my family, who moved from city to city during my career. My wife, Cassie, and my four children: Monica, Patrice, Paul and Juliet. I want to thank the NBCA for bestowing this honor on me. Special thanks to the selection committee, J.B. Bickerstaff, and David Fogel for bringing this honor about.”
Westhead is known as the father of the “run and gun” offense and is considered one of the true innovative offensive minds of his time. Previous recipients of the award include former Lakers coache Pat Riley and Del Harris as well as assistant Tex Winter, along with the likes of other all-time greats such as Jerry Sloan, Lenny Wilkens and Rudy Tomjanovich.
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