Cleveland Cavs Hire Lindsay Gottlieb As Assistant Coach

CLEVELAND - University of California-Berkeley's Lindsay Gottlieb has been hired by the Cleveland Cavaliers, the team announced on Wednesday.

Gottlieb is currently UC Berkeley's women's basketball head coach. She becomes only the third woman to join an NBA coaching staff, joining San Antonio's Becky Hammond and former Sacramento Kings assistant Nancy Lieberman.

The Cleveland Cavaliers have been rebuilding their coaching staff after hiring new head coach John Beilein. General Manager Koby Altman said he was impressed with Gottlieb's track record of success and depth of knowledge.

“I am very thankful, proud and excited to be joining the Cavaliers as an Assistant Coach. After meeting with Koby Altman, Coach Beilein and Coach Bickerstaff, I knew this was an organization I wanted to be a part of and a team I wanted to dedicate myself to,” said Gottlieb.

“While this move provided a unique and special chance to move directly from Cal Berkeley and women’s college basketball to the NBA, it was really about being part of building and growing something special and adding value to a team and organization that is focused on doing things in a way that I believe strongly in," she added.

Gottlieb spent the past eight years as the head coach of UC Berkeley, compiling a 179-89 record during her tenure. Her career win total is the second highest in Cal women's basketball history.

Between 2011 and 2019, Gottlieb led her teams to seven NCAA tournament appearance, including an Elite Eight and Final Four appearance in 2013. She is one of only seven NCAA women's coaches since 1990 to reach the Final Four within two years of joining a program.

Gottlieb boasts a crowded trophy shelf. She was named Pac-12 Coach of the Year in 2013 and was a Naismith National Coach of the Year Finalist that year. She coached five Cal players to All-America seasons and sent six of her players to the WNBA.

Throughout her 11 year career of head coaching experience, she has accumulated a record of 235-128. She led UC Santa Barbara to two Big West Championships and was named Big West Coach of the Year in 2009.

“The vision for the Cavs’ future is compelling and I look forward to helping make it a reality. At the same time, on a personal level, I am honored to hopefully impact young girls and women to be empowered to pursue their own visions and to be inspired to turn them into reality as well," Gottlieb said.