Updated April 4, 2026, 11:29 a.m. CT<\/p>\n
Mike D\u2019Antoni, who served as head coach of the Houston Rockets from 2016 until 2020, is headed to the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame.<\/p>\n
The news was first reported by John Gambadoro<\/a> of Arizona Sports 98.7 in Phoenix, where D\u2019Antoni coached the Suns from 2003 until 2008.<\/p>\n \u201cAn important figure in the evolution of modern basketball who elevated the game through his uptempo, space and pace philosophy that helped redefine offensive strategy… emphasizing ball movement, shooting, and efficiency and shaping the analytics-driven era of the sport \u2014 known as Seven Seconds or Less<\/a>,\u201d Hall of Fame officials wrote in the announcement<\/a>.<\/p>\n Utilizing those innovative and guard-friendly schemes,\u00a0D\u2019Antoni ranks 22nd in\u00a0all-time wins<\/a>\u00a0as an NBA coach. He is also 24th in coaching victories during the playoffs.<\/p>\n D\u2019Antoni finished his Houston tenure (2016-17 through 2019-20) in the No. 2 spot in both categories, trailing only Hall of Fame coach and two-time NBA champion Rudy Tomjanovich. He’s easily the top coach in Rockets history\u00a0by winning percentage<\/a> (217-101, .682).<\/p>\n Need a news break? Check out the all new PLAY hub with puzzles, games and more!<\/a><\/p>\n Those Houston years included a memorable 2017-18 campaign in which the Rockets (65-17) finished with the most wins of any NBA team, and it remains a franchise record to this day. As the star player and centerpiece of D’Antoni\u2019s high-powered offense, James Harden easily won league Most Valuable Player (MVP) honors.<\/p>\n In the previous 2016-17 season, D\u2019Antoni won NBA Coach of the Year honors after leading the Rockets to a 55-27 record \u2014 a 14-win improvement relative to the previous season under a different coaching staff.<\/p>\n D\u2019Antoni never coached any of his teams to an NBA championship, but they were on the doorstep numerous times. That list included the 2017-18 Rockets, who were perhaps an ill-timed Chris Paul hamstring injury<\/a> away from dethroning the Golden State Warriors.<\/p>\n As it is, they at least did enough that D\u2019Antoni\u2019s legacy will be recognized and honored in Springfield, Massachusetts, as part of the 2026 Hall of Fame class. Enshrinement weekend is scheduled for August 14-15, 2026<\/a>.<\/p>\n D\u2019Antoni turns 75 years old next month. He has not officially retired, though he has not worked in the NBA since a multi-year stint (2021 to 2025<\/a>) as a coaching advisor for the New Orleans Pelicans.<\/p>\n