In his NBA career, Paul Westhead led the Lakers to the NBA title in the 1979-80 seaosn.
SAN ANTONIO — Paul Westhead, a longtime NBA and WNBA Head & Assistant Coach, and the only coach in history to win both an NBA and WNBA Championship, is the recipient of the 2026 Chuck Daly Lifetime Achievement Award, the National Basketball Coaches Association (NBCA) announced today.
“We are honored to recognize Paul Westhead as the recipient of the Chuck Daly Lifetime Achievement Award,” said Detroit Pistons Head Coach and NBCA President J.B. Bickerstaff. “Coach Westhead’s impact on the game extends far beyond wins and championships. He challenged conventional thinking, introduced ideas that were ahead of their time, and influenced generations of coaches across every level of men’s and women’s basketball. His commitment to innovation, teaching, and the growth of our game has left a lasting mark on our profession, making him truly deserving of this recognition.”
“I am grateful to receive the Chuck Daly Lifetime Achievement Award,” said Westhead. “Chuck was a good friend of mine, who helped me in my early coaching career, back in Philadelphia. It was always a challenge to coach against Chuck. He usually outsmarted me, but in how to dress for the game Chuck never came in second. And at a social event, Chuck could work the room like no other. I gave him the nickname “Glide” for how easily he would move from one group to another.
“I’m honored to join a select group of coaches including my college coach, Jack Ramsay. He taught me the game, and more importantly how to care for your players.
“I am thankful for all the coaches who worked with me during my NBA coaching career. From Jack McKinney, who gave me my start with the LA Lakers, to P.J. Carlesimo who hired me for my last job with the Seattle SuperSonics.
“Also, I am appreciative of my family, who moved from city to city during my career. My wife, Cassie, and my four children: Monica, Patrice, Paul and Juliet.
“I want to thank the NBCA for bestowing this honor on me. Special thanks to the selection committee, J.B. Bickerstaff, and David Fogel for bringing this honor about.
“This award would not be possible if not for the players. As a coach, you are only as good as your players. Thank you team, you made me look good.”
Westhead served as a basketball coach for 38 seasons, spanning five decades across the NBA, WNBA, NCAA, and international basketball. He was an NBA Head & Assistant Coach for 12 seasons, with the Los Angeles Lakers, Chicago Bulls, Denver Nuggets, Golden State Warriors, Orlando Magic, Seattle Supersonics, and the Oklahoma City Thunder. Coach Westhead is the only coach in history to win both an NBA (Los Angeles Lakers – 1980) and WNBA Championship (Phoenix Mercury – 2007).
In 1970, Westhead began his coaching career at La Salle University before transitioning to the NBA’s Los Angeles Lakers. He quickly established a reputation as an original thinker and offensive innovator. Known as the father of the “Run and Gun” offense, he guided Magic Johnson, Kareem Adbul-Jabbar, and the Lakers to the franchise’s first title in eight years. In three years with the Lakers, Westhead finished with 111-50 record. Following his championship tenure with the Lakers, he continued his NBA coaching career with the Chicago Bulls and Denver Nuggets, where he further showcased his innovative offensive philosophy. With the Nuggets, Westhead implemented an ultra-fast-paced system that produced some of the highest-scoring teams and most prolific offensive seasons at that point in NBA history.
Westhead continued to emphasize pace, spacing, and relentless offensive pressure throughout his collegiate coaching career. In addition to his time with La Salle University, Westhead also found success with Loyola Marymount University, George Mason University, and the University of Oregon.
Coach Westhead’s accomplishments are notable not only for their breadth, but also for their rarity. He captured championships with both the Lakers and the Mercury, cementing his place in basketball history and becoming one of the few coaches to achieve high level success across men’s and women’s professional basketball. Endearingly called “The Professor” throughout the basketball world, he combined creativity, intelligence, and an unwavering belief in innovation, to build a coaching legacy that is not only defined by the success of his teams and players, but also on the continued evolution of basketball that shaped many of today’s NBA offensive concepts.
Westhead’s lasting impact on the game has also been recognized through multiple Hall of Fame honors and career distinctions. Westhead has been inducted into the Loyola Marymount University Hall of Fame (2000), the West Coast Conference Hall of Honors (2017), and the Philadelphia Sports Hall of Fame (2024).
“Paul Westhead is widely revered for his ability to innovate and shape modern elements of today’s up-tempo basketball that were way ahead of their time,” said David Fogel, NBCA Executive Director and General Counsel. “His dedication to coaching for over five decades and his unique success across the men’s and women’s game of basketball is a testament to his leadership, offensive creativity, and commitment to winning. Congratulations to Paul on this most deserving recognition.”
The National Basketball Coaches Association’s Chuck Daly Lifetime Achievement Award honors the memory of Hall of Fame Coach Chuck Daly, who, over an outstanding NBA coaching career, set a standard for integrity, competitive excellence, and tireless promotion of NBA basketball. The award is determined annually by a Selection Committee composed of some of the most respected coaches and basketball executives in the game, including Bernie Bickerstaff, Rick Carlisle, Billy Cunningham, Joe Dumars, Phil Jackson, Gregg Popovich, Pat Riley, and Donnie Walsh.
Prior recipients are Don Nelson (2025), Rudy Tomjanovich (2024), Rick Adelman (2023), Mike Fratello (2022), Larry Brown (2021), Del Harris (2020), Frank Layden (2019), Doug Moe (2018), Al Attles and Hubie Brown (2017), K.C. Jones and Jerry Sloan (2016), Dick Motta (2015), Bernie Bickerstaff (2014), Bill Fitch (2013), Pat Riley (2012), Lenny Wilkens (2011), Jack Ramsay and Tex Winter (2010), and Tommy Heinsohn (2009).
About the NBCA: The National Basketball Coaches Association (NBCA) is the labor association that represents basketball coaches in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Founded in 1976 by legendary Boston Celtics player and coach Tommy Heinsohn, the NBCA consists of all NBA Head Coaches, Assistant Coaches, and alumni, and works closely with the NBA on all matters that pertain to the coaching profession.
