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Mike Hopkins (basketball)

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Mike Hopkins
Hopkins in 2019
Phoenix Suns
PositionAssistant coach
LeagueNBA
Personal information
Born (1969-08-06) August 6, 1969 (age 55)
San Mateo, California
Career information
CollegeSyracuse
Coaching career1995–present
Career history
As coach:
1995–2015Syracuse (assistant)
2015–2016Syracuse (Interim HC)
2016–2017Syracuse (assistant)
2017–2024Washington
2024–presentPhoenix Suns (assistant)
Career highlights and awards

Michael Griffith Hopkins (born August 6, 1969) is an American basketball assistant coach for the Phoenix Suns of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Previously, he was a longtime assistant at Syracuse University before taking over as a college basketball head coach for University of Washington from 2017 until 2024.

The 6-foot-5 Hopkins, from Laguna Hills, California, was a fan favorite during his playing days at Syracuse, known for his all-out hustle and general scrappy play.[1]

High school career

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Born in the Northern California city of San Mateo and raised in the Southern California city of Laguna Hills, Hopkins was a member of the 1987 California state championship team at Mater Dei High School in Santa Ana, California that also featured future NBA player LeRon Ellis.[2] Having graduated from Mater Dei in 1988, Hopkins enrolled at Syracuse while Ellis went on to a two-year career at the University of Kentucky. After Kentucky was placed on probation, Hopkins would play an instrumental role in convincing his high school teammate to transfer to Syracuse.[3]

College career

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Mike Hopkins College Career
Season G FG% FT% Reb Pts
1989–90 20 .556 .750 1.2 2.9
1990–91 31 .514 .548 1.9 3.3
1991–92 31 .448 .629 3.9 6.5
1992–93 29 .438 .738 3.7 9.2
Totals 111 .462 .670 2.8 5.7

Hopkins played sparingly in his first two seasons at Syracuse before becoming the team's starting shooting guard in his junior year. That year, Hopkins hit the game-winning free throws with three seconds remaining against Connecticut to propel the Orange to the 1992 Big East Championship.[3]

Hopkins was named captain in his senior season and posted a career high of 9.2 points and added 3.7 rebounds per game. He also had a flair for the clutch, heaving a three-quarter court pass to Conrad McRae for a buzzer-beating, game-winning shot against Villanova. In his final game in the Carrier Dome, Hopkins scored a game-high 20 points and tallied six rebounds and five assists in a 78–74 win over Pittsburgh.[3]

Hopkins played 111 games throughout his four-year career spanning from 1989 to 1993. He finished with averages of 5.7 points and 2.8 rebounds per game.

Professional career

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Hopkins spent time in the Continental Basketball Association with the Minnesota-based Rochester Renegade. He also played in Europe with teams in the Netherlands and Turkey.[citation needed]

Coaching career

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Mike Hopkins in 2012
Mike Hopkins in 2012

Hopkins returned to Syracuse in 1995 and was primarily involved with recruiting and the development of guards. Hopkins played a large role in developing future NBA player Jason Hart and SU standout Allen Griffin. He has also been credited for recruiting Gerry McNamara and Billy Edelin.[3]

In May 2007, it was reported that Hopkins was picked to be Jim Boeheim's successor, even though there was no timetable for Boeheim to retire.[4] However, in October, Athletic Director Daryl Gross refuted that story, saying that his quote was taken out of context.[5]

Away from Syracuse, Hopkins was the Court Coach for Team USA in 1998, 2000, 2001, 2010, and 2012.[citation needed]

In March 2010, Hopkins' name surfaced in connection with the head coaching vacancy at Charlotte.[6] Hopkins was reported to be a finalist for the Oregon State University head coaching vacancy in May 2014.[7]

On June 25, 2015, Hopkins was formally named Men's Basketball Head Coach-Designate by Syracuse University.[8]

Hopkins served as Head Coach during Jim Boeheim's controversial nine-game suspension from December 5, 2015, to January 5, 2016.[9] Hopkins would later receive credit as coach for the nine games he served while Boeheim was suspended.

On March 19, 2017, it was announced that Hopkins had been hired as head basketball coach at the University of Washington for the 2017–18 season.[10] Hopkins signed a six-year deal worth $12.3 million. He will earn $1.8 million in his first year and an additional $100,000 each subsequent year of the deal.[11]

Coach Hopkins earned the Pac-12's Coach of the Year award in each of his first two seasons at the University of Washington, while also leading the Huskies to a regular season conference title in the 2018–19 season.

On March 8, 2024, the University of Washington announced that Hopkins would not be returning for the 2024–25 season. However he would finish the season with the Huskies.[12]

On June 11, 2024, the Phoenix Suns were reported to have Hopkins sign up as a new assistant coach hiring under new head coach Mike Budenholzer's coaching staff.[13] His addition to the team would be made official on August 6.[14]

Head coaching record

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Statistics overview
Season Team Overall Conference Standing Postseason
Syracuse Orange (Atlantic Coast Conference) (2015–2016)
2015–16 Syracuse 4–5 0–3 T–9th* NCAA Division I Final Four*
Syracuse: 4–5 (.444) 0–3 (.000)
Washington Huskies (Pac-12 Conference) (2017–2024)
2017–18 Washington 21–13 10–8 T–6th NIT second round
2018–19 Washington 27–9 15–3 1st NCAA Division I Round of 32
2019–20 Washington 15–17 5–13 12th
2020–21 Washington 5–21 4–16 11th
2021–22 Washington 17–15 11–9 T–5th
2022–23 Washington 16–16 8–12 T–8th
2023–24 Washington 17–15 9–11 T–6th
Washington: 118–106 (.527) 62–72 (.463)
Total: 122–111 (.524)

      National champion         Postseason invitational champion  
      Conference regular season champion         Conference regular season and conference tournament champion
      Division regular season champion       Division regular season and conference tournament champion
      Conference tournament champion

* Syracuse head coach Jim Boeheim was suspended for nine games, during which Hopkins served as the interim head coach and was credited for those games.

References

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  1. ^ "#11 / 33 Mike Hopkins". orangehoops.org. Archived from the original on 2007-05-06.
  2. ^ "Mike Hopkins". www.usab.com. Archived from the original on December 26, 2019.
  3. ^ a b c d "Mike Hopkins". www.cuse.com. Syracuse University Athletics. Retrieved December 31, 2018.
  4. ^ Katz, Andy (15 May 2007). "No timetable, but Hopkins will succeed Boeheim". ESPN. ESPN.com.
  5. ^ "AD tells newspapers his comments taken out of context". ESPN. ESPN.com. 17 October 2007.
  6. ^ Stone, Larry (November 17, 2017). "Will Mike Hopkins' maniacal, tough-as-nails approach turn around Huskies' program?". www.seattletimes.com. The Seattle Times. Retrieved December 21, 2018.
  7. ^ Letourneau, Connor (19 May 2014). "Montana coach Wayne Tinkle, Syracuse assistant Mike Hopkins finalists for Oregon State Beavers' head coaching job". oregonlive.com. Oregon Live LLC.
  8. ^ Quinn, Kevin (25 June 2015). "Mike Hopkins Formally Named Men's Basketball Head Coach-Designate". news.syr.edu.
  9. ^ McCallum, Jack (5 January 2016). "How did Jim Boeheim spend his 9-game suspension?". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved 2020-07-26.
  10. ^ Auerbach, Nicole (March 19, 2017). "Washington hires Mike Hopkins, Syracuse's coach-in-waiting". USA Today. Retrieved March 19, 2017.
  11. ^ Caple, Christian (March 22, 2017). "New Huskies basketball coach Mike Hopkins signs 6-year, $12.3 million deal". www.thenewstribune.com. The Tacoma News Tribune. Retrieved December 30, 2018.
  12. ^ "Washington Announces Leadership Change In Men's Basketball". gohuskies.com. Washington Huskies. March 8, 2024. Retrieved March 10, 2024.
  13. ^ "Sources: Suns to hire Hopkins as assistant coach". ESPN.com. 2024-06-11. Retrieved 2024-06-14.
  14. ^ "Suns Announce Head Coach Mike Budenholzer's Coaching Staff". NBA.com.
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