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Steve Alford was selected in the second round of the 1987 NBA draft by the Dallas Mavericks, with whom he played for four seasons. He was the 26th overall pick. Alford played for the Mavericks and the Golden State Warriors, and later became a college head coach. He has coached at Manchester University, Southwest Missouri State University, the University of Iowa, and the University of New Mexico. Alford was fired mid-season in 2018-19 after spending 5 and a half seasons with the UCLA Bruins.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name | Steve Alford |
| Birthdate | November 23, 1964 |
| Height | 6'2" (188 cm) |
| Weight | 183 lbs (83 kg) |
| NBA Draft Year | 1987 |
| Draft Pick | Second Round, 26th Overall |
| Team | Dallas Mavericks |
| NBA Experience | 4 Years |
| Position | Point Guard |
| Last Played | 1991 |
| Career Earnings | At least $500,000 |
| Career Earnings in 1991 | $250,000 |
| Career Stats | 4.4 points, 0.9 rebounds, and 1.0 assists per game |
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What You'll Learn
Steve Alford was drafted by the Dallas Mavericks in 1987
Steve Alford, born in Franklin, Indiana, was drafted by the Dallas Mavericks in 1987. Alford was selected in the second round of the 1987 NBA draft, 26th overall, by the Mavericks. He played four seasons in the NBA, primarily with the Mavericks, but also spent time with the Golden State Warriors. Over his career, he started three games, scored 744 points, had 176 assists, and shot free throws with 87% accuracy.
Alford played at Indiana University Bloomington under coach Bobby Knight and helped the Hoosiers win their fifth national championship. He was Indiana Mr. Basketball in high school and finished his college career as Indiana's all-time leading scorer.
Alford was a popular player in Indiana, and many fans expected him to be drafted by the Indiana Pacers in 1987. However, the Pacers selected Reggie Miller, and Alford was chosen by the Mavericks. Initially, this decision angered Indiana fans, but eventually, they embraced it. Alford himself acknowledged that Miller turned out to be a great choice for the state of Indiana.
After his playing career, Alford became a college head coach and has coached at various universities, including Manchester University, Southwest Missouri State University, and the University of Iowa. He has had a successful coaching career, leading several teams to NCAA Tournament appearances.
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He played for four seasons in the NBA
Steve Alford was selected in the second round of the 1987 NBA draft by the Dallas Mavericks. He played in the NBA for four seasons, mostly with the Mavericks, although he also spent a portion of one season with the Golden State Warriors.
Alford was born in Franklin, Indiana, and grew up in New Castle. He played at Indiana University Bloomington under coach Bobby Knight. Before being drafted, he helped the Hoosiers claim their fifth national championship and finished his career as Indiana's all-time leading scorer.
Alford was only 6'2" (some sources say 6'0") and weighed 183 lbs when playing. Despite his relatively small stature, he was drafted for his impressive scoring abilities. Coach Knight said of him:
> He's gotten more out of his abilities offensively than anybody I've seen play college basketball. He's about as good a scorer for being strictly a jump shooter as I've ever seen. He's scored more than 2,400 points that way, and that's incredible, considering he doesn't get any tip-ins, drives or dunks.
Over his four-year NBA career, Alford started three games, scored 744 points, had 176 assists, and shot free throws with an accuracy of 87%. He made at least $500,000 playing professional basketball, including $250,000 in 1991.
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Alford was the second coach in UCLA's history to never win a conference regular-season title
Steve Alford was a former NBA player who was drafted by the Dallas Mavericks in 1987. After his playing career, he became a college basketball coach and was hired as the head coach of UCLA in 2013.
Alford's tenure at UCLA was marked by mixed results. He led the Bruins to the Pac-12 tournament championship in his first season and guided them to three NCAA tournament regional semifinal appearances. However, he also had several disappointing seasons, including a 15-17 record in 2015-16, which was the fourth time in UCLA's history that the program finished with a losing record.
Alford was the second coach in UCLA's 100-year history to never win a conference regular-season title. His highest finish was second place in his first season. Despite some successes, including 11 players being selected in the NBA draft during his tenure, UCLA's performance under Alford was not consistent enough to meet the expectations of the school and its fans.
In December 2018, Alford was dismissed by UCLA prior to the start of Pac-12 play. His overall record with the Bruins was 117-57, but the team's performance had declined, and he faced criticism for not meeting the standards set by previous UCLA coaches.
Alford's coaching career continued after his departure from UCLA, and he was hired as the coach of the Nevada Wolf Pack in 2019. He has achieved success with other college basketball programs, including leading the Lobos to their first conference championship in 15 years during his time at the University of New Mexico.
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He was dismissed by UCLA on December 31, 2018
Steve Alford was dismissed by UCLA on December 31, 2018. He was fired mid-season, just before the start of Pac-12 play. Alford's dismissal came after a series of disappointing seasons and losses. UCLA had suffered a fourth consecutive loss, and fans had been calling for Alford's dismissal for some time. A plane had flown over the UCLA campus twice with a banner urging the school to fire Alford.
Alford was brought to UCLA to revive the offense, reinvigorate the fan base, and connect with a new generation of players. However, the team's performance had been inconsistent, and they had struggled in recent games, losing six of their last nine. UCLA's athletic director, Dan Guerrero, stated that the decision to let Alford go was due to the team's poor performance and their struggles during the season, which did not bode well for the future.
Alford's tenure at UCLA lasted 5+1⁄2 seasons and was marked by a lack of success. He was the second coach in UCLA's history to never win a conference regular-season title, and he never came close to matching the achievements of his predecessor, Ben Howland. Despite having recruited well, with three top-five squads from 2016 to 2018, Alford's teams struggled defensively, and his offensive strategy often fell short.
Alford's departure from UCLA was acrimonious, with fans and supporters expressing their dissatisfaction with the team's performance. UCLA paid Alford a significant sum, including a $3.6 million buyout and the remaining salary for the season, totaling over $4.4 million.
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Alford was hired as the coach of Nevada Wolf Pack in 2019
Steve Alford was drafted by the Dallas Mavericks in the second round (26th overall pick) of the 1987 NBA Draft. He played for four seasons, mostly with the Mavericks, but also spent a portion of one season with the Golden State Warriors.
After his playing career, Alford became a college basketball coach. He was hired as the coach of Nevada Wolf Pack on April 11, 2019, replacing Eric Musselman. Alford had previously been dismissed by UCLA on December 31, 2018, where he had spent 5 and a half seasons. During his tenure at UCLA, the team had 11 players selected in the NBA draft, including seven first-round picks.
Alford's coaching career began at Manchester University, and he has also coached at Southwest Missouri State University, the University of Iowa, and the University of New Mexico. By leading Nevada to the NCAA Tournament in 2023, he became the fourth head coach to lead five teams to the NCAA Division I Tournament.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, Steve Alford was selected in the second round of the 1987 NBA draft by the Dallas Mavericks.
Steve Alford played for the Dallas Mavericks and the Golden State Warriors.
Steve Alford played in the NBA for four seasons.
Reggie Miller was picked before Steve Alford by the Indiana Pacers.
Steve Alford played college basketball for Indiana University Bloomington.
