The Cleveland Cavaliers are in line to make history with their latest addition to new coach John Beilein’s staff. According to a report by Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, the Cavs are set to hire Lindsay Gottlieb — who has been at the helm of the women’s program at the University of California, Berkeley since 2011 — as an assistant coach.
In a landmark appointment for the NBA, the Cleveland Cavaliers are hiring University of California-Berkeley women’s head coach Lindsay Gottlieb to be an assistant coach on John Beilein’s staff, league sources tell ESPN.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 12, 2019
Gottlieb being hired for a role on the Cavs’ bench is unprecedented. When her hiring becomes official, Gottlieb will become the first head coach of a woman’s program to make the leap to the NBA.
Gottlieb – a Final Four and seven-time NCAA Tournament head coach for Cal – is the first women’s collegiate head coach recruited to an NBA coaching staff. https://t.co/Rto5l8mshx
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 12, 2019
As Wojnarowski laid out on ESPN.com, Cleveland general manager Koby Altman was interested in the idea of hiring a “high-level women’s coach,” which he discussed with Beilein. Then, upon meeting with Gottlieb in person, Beilein wanted her on his staff.
Once Beilein met Gottlieb and discussed the ways that she could impact an NBA coaching staff and environment, Beilein became determined to recruit her to Cleveland, sources said. Cleveland reached a deal with Gottlieb and agent Bret Just of CAA late Tuesday night, sources told ESPN.
Beyond the history being made with the hire, Gottlieb is an excellent addition to Cleveland’s staff. The 41-year-old has led a pair of collegiate programs over the last decade — she took over at the helm of UC Santa Barbara in 2008 before making the jump to Cal in 2011. In her time as a head coach, Gottlieb has accrued a 235-128 record, and led the Golden Bears to a Final Four in 2013.
