Mahmoud Abdelfattah

Mahmoud Abdelfattah is a Palestinian-American professional basketball coach who is the head coach for the Sydney Kings of the Australian National Basketball League (NBL). He became the first ever Palestinian or Muslim head coach of a National Basketball Association (NBA) or NBA G League franchise when he served as head coach of the Rio Grande Valley Vipers from 2019 to 2022.[1][2]

Mahmoud Abdelfattah
Sydney Kings
PositionHead coach
LeagueNBL
Personal information
BornChicago, Illinois, U.S.
NationalityPalestinian / American
Listed height6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
Listed weight175 lb (79 kg)
Career information
High schoolTaft (Chicago, Illinois)
College
NBA draft2010: undrafted
PositionGuard
Coaching career2011–present
Career history
As coach:
2011–2013Perspectives Charter Schools (assistant)
2013–2017St. Cloud (assistant)
2018–2019Rio Grande Valley Vipers (assistant)
2019–2022Rio Grande Valley Vipers
2022–2023Houston Rockets (assistant)
2023–presentSydney Kings
Career highlights and awards
As head coach:

As assistant coach:

  • NBA G League champion (2019)

Early life

Abdelfattah was born and raised in Chicago, Illinois, to parents who had immigrated from Palestine as part of the 1967 Palestinian exodus.[3] He identifies as Palestinian and visited the state as a child.[3] Abdelfattah attended a private Muslim school until the eighth grade and then moved to the public system.[3]

Abdelfattah played basketball at Wilbur Wright College and was recruited to play at St. Cloud State University.[3] He found his desire for coaching while at St. Cloud State when he realised that he would not be able to play in the National Basketball Association (NBA).[3] He served as a student-assistant on the basketball team at the age of 21 and had his student debt covered by the school.[3]

Coaching career

Abdelfattah began his coaching stint with Perspectives Charter Schools in 2011, serving as the assistant head coach for the team.[4]

In 2019, after spending his first season as assistant coach for the Rio Grande Valley Vipers and winning his first championship with the franchise, Abdelfattah was duly promoted to be the head coach of the team.[5]

Abdelfattah was named the NBA G League Coach of the Year for the 2021–22 season after leading the Vipers to a 24–10 record.[6] The Vipers eventually would win another title.

On July 3, 2022, the Houston Rockets hired Abdelfattah as an assistant coach.[7]

On June 21, 2023, Abdelfattah was hired as head coach of the Sydney Kings of the Australian National Basketball League (NBL) for the 2023–24 season.[8][9]

Head coaching record

As of April 19, 2022

Team Year G W L W–L% Result
Rio Grande Valley Vipers 2019–20 421527.357Season canceled
Rio Grande Valley Vipers 2020–21 1596.600Lost in Quarterfinals
Rio Grande Valley Vipers 2021–22 352510.714Champions
Career924943.533

Personal life

Abdelfattah is Muslim.[3] He was only lightly religious during his early years but adjusted his attitude after the death of his mother from a heart attack when he was aged 19.[3] Abdelfattah completed Hajj in 2019.[3]

References
  1. Ramirez, Amairani (November 2, 2018). "Vipers Add Mahmoud Abdelfattah and Brandon Barnes to Coaching Staff". NBA.com. Retrieved April 15, 2022.
  2. Davies, Spencer (December 20, 2019). "MEET MAHMOUD ABDELFATTAH, THE GROUNDBREAKING HEAD COACH OF THE HOUSTON ROCKETS' G LEAGUE TEAM". CloseUp360.com. Retrieved April 15, 2022.
  3. Kemp, Emma (October 6, 2023). "'Basketball comes third': Faith and family led Kings coach to Sydney". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved October 13, 2023.
  4. "MAHMOUD ABDELFATTAH SCSU HUSKIES PROFILE". SCSUHuskies.com. Retrieved April 15, 2022.
  5. Davis, Coty (October 1, 2019). "Rockets name Abdelfattah as new head coach of G-League's Vipers". RocketsWire.USAToday.com. Retrieved April 15, 2022.
  6. "RIO GRANDE VALLEY VIPERS WIN THREE 2021-22 NBA G LEAGUE AWARDS". NBA.com. April 8, 2022. Retrieved April 15, 2022.
  7. DuBose, Ben (July 3, 2022). "Rockets hire Lionel Hollins, Mike Batiste and Mahmoud Abdelfattah as assistant coaches". Rockets Wire. Retrieved July 3, 2022.
  8. "Kings announce Mahmoud Abdelfattah as club's new head coach". sydneykings.com. June 21, 2023. Retrieved June 21, 2023.
  9. "Kings hire Rockets assistant Mahmoud Abdelfattah as new coach". ESPN.com.au. June 21, 2023. Retrieved June 21, 2023.


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