By Aris Barkas/ barkas@eurohoops.net
As it’s officially announced, the Orlando Magic have named Scott Skiles their new head coach, the 12th in franchise history.
Skiles, 51, has an overall NBA regular season record of 443-433 (.506) as head coach with Phoenix, Chicago and Milwaukee. During his 13 seasons as a head coach, his teams have reached the NBA Playoffs six times.
However his coaching career began in Europe in 1996-97 when he served as head coach of PAOK, after being initially signed as a player. He was hired as an assistant coach with the Phoenix Suns in 1997 and served in that capacity for two seasons, before taking over for Danny Ainge 20 games into the 1999-2000 campaign. Skiles guided the Suns to a 40-22 mark the remainder of the season and his team went on to upset the defending NBA Champion San Antonio Spurs during the first round of the 2000 NBA Playoffs. In 2000-01, he guided the Suns to a 51-31 record and again reached the postseason.
On November 28, 2003, Skiles was hired as head coach of the Chicago Bulls, inheriting a 4-12 team. Following that, he went on to guide the Bulls to three consecutive .500-or-better seasons (an average of 45.7 wins per season) and three straight playoff appearances, which ended a six-year postseason drought for Chicago. The Bulls won 49 games in 2006-07, their most since 1997-98, and swept the defending NBA Champion Miami Heat, 4-0, during the first round of the 2007 NBA Playoffs.
On April 21, 2008, Skiles was named head coach of the Milwaukee Bucks. In 2008-09, he led the Bucks to an eight-game improvement, then in 2009-10, Milwaukee improved by 12 games, posting a 46-36 mark and earned a playoff berth.
As a player, Skiles appeared in 600 career NBA games (371 starts) during ten seasons with Milwaukee, Indiana, Orlando, Washington and Philadelphia, averaging 11.1 ppg., 6.5 apg. and 2.5 rpg. in 28.0 minpg. He also shot .889 (1,548-1,741) from the free throw line during his career, which ranks as the eighth-best in NBA history. Skiles was originally selected by Milwaukee in the first round (22nd overall) of the 1986 NBA Draft.