Bradley Kent Stevens (born October 22, 1976) is an American basketball executive and former coach who is currently the president of basketball operations and de facto general manager for the
Boston Celtics
The Boston Celtics ( ) are an American professional basketball team based in Boston. The Celtics compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Atlantic Division (NBA), Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference (NBA), ...
.
Born and raised in
Zionsville, Indiana
Zionsville is a suburban town located in the extreme southeast area of Boone County, Indiana, Boone County, Indiana, United States, northwest of Indianapolis. The population was 14,160 at the 2010 United States Census, 2010 census and 30,693 at t ...
, Stevens starred on the
Zionsville Community High School basketball team, setting four school records. After high school, he attended
DePauw University
DePauw University ( ) is a private liberal arts college in Greencastle, Indiana, United States. It was founded in 1837 as Indiana Asbury College and changed its name to DePauw University in 1884. The college has a Methodist heritage and was ...
, where he played basketball and earned a degree in
economics
Economics () is a behavioral science that studies the Production (economics), production, distribution (economics), distribution, and Consumption (economics), consumption of goods and services.
Economics focuses on the behaviour and interac ...
. Stevens made the all-conference team multiple times and was a three-time
Academic All-America nominee. He transitioned into coaching after quitting his job at
Eli Lilly and Company
Eli Lilly and Company, Trade name, doing business as Lilly, is an American multinational Medication, pharmaceutical company headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana, with offices in 18 countries. Its products are sold in approximately 125 count ...
, joining the
basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular Basketball court, court, compete with the primary objective of #Shooting, shooting a basketball (ball), basketball (appro ...
program at
Butler University
Butler University is a private university in Indianapolis, Indiana, United States. Founded in 1855 and named after founder Ovid Butler, the university has over 60 major academic fields of study within six colleges in the arts, business, communic ...
as a volunteer prior to the 2000–01 season. Stevens was promoted to a full-time assistant coach the following season. After five seasons in the role, he assumed the position of head coach on April 4, 2007, after
Todd Lickliter left to coach the
Iowa Hawkeyes. In his first year, Stevens led Butler to 30 wins, becoming the third-youngest head coach in
NCAA Division I
NCAA Division I (D-I) is the highest division of intercollegiate athletics sanctioned by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) in the United States, which accepts players globally. D-I schools include the major collegiate athlet ...
history to have a 30-win season.
In 2010, his third year as head coach, Stevens broke the NCAA record for most wins in a coach's first three years, exceeding the previous record by eight wins. In the NCAA tournament, Stevens coached Butler to the first
Final Four
In sports, the final four is the last four teams remaining in a playoffs, playoff tournament. Usually the final four compete in the two games of a single-elimination tournament's semi-final (penultimate) round. Of these teams, the two who win in ...
in school history, while also becoming the second-youngest head coach to make an NCAA national championship game, losing 61–59 to
Duke
Duke is a male title either of a monarch ruling over a duchy, or of a member of Royal family, royalty, or nobility. As rulers, dukes are ranked below emperors, kings, grand princes, grand dukes, and above sovereign princes. As royalty or nobi ...
. With the
following season's team also making the
Final Four
In sports, the final four is the last four teams remaining in a playoffs, playoff tournament. Usually the final four compete in the two games of a single-elimination tournament's semi-final (penultimate) round. Of these teams, the two who win in ...
, Stevens became the youngest coach to go to two Final Fours. Stevens coached the Bulldogs in their second consecutive national championship game on April 4, 2011, where the team again lost, this time to the
Connecticut Huskies
The UConn Huskies (or Connecticut Huskies) are the intercollegiate athletic teams that represent the University of Connecticut, with its main campus located in Storrs, Connecticut. The school is a member of the NCAA's Division I and the Big Eas ...
. Stevens was regularly named a finalist for Horizon League Coach of the Year award, winning twice, and was also a nominee for both the
Hugh Durham Award and
Jim Phelan Award in every year of his college career.
This success garnered Stevens the head coaching job with the
Boston Celtics
The Boston Celtics ( ) are an American professional basketball team based in Boston. The Celtics compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Atlantic Division (NBA), Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference (NBA), ...
in 2013, when he signed a six-year, $22 million contract.
After undertaking a rebuild early in his tenure, Stevens led the Celtics to the
NBA playoffs
The NBA playoffs is the annual Playoffs, postseason Tournament#Knockout tournaments, tournament of the National Basketball Association (NBA) held to determine the league champion. Since 1949, the four-round, best-of-seven tournament is held afte ...
every year from 2014 to 2021, won a
division championship in 2016–17, and appeared in the
Eastern Conference finals in 2017, 2018, and 2020.
He gained a reputation as one of the NBA's best coaches, with his motion offense and stingy defense earning plaudits from fans, peers, and players.
In June 2021, Stevens was named as the president of basketball operations and the ''de facto'' general manager of the Celtics following the resignation and retirement of
Danny Ainge
Daniel Ray Ainge ( ; born March 17, 1959) is an American former professional basketball player, coach, and professional baseball player who serves as the chief executive officer for the Utah Jazz of the National Basketball Association (NB ...
, before Ainge was talked out of retirement to join the
Utah Jazz
The Utah Jazz are an American professional basketball team based in Salt Lake City. The Jazz compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference. Since the 1991–92 season, the ...
as their alternate governor later that year. In April 2024, Stevens was named the 2023–24
NBA Executive of the Year
The NBA Executive of the Year is an annual award in the National Basketball Association (NBA) award given since the 1972–73 NBA season, to the league's best general manager (basketball), general manager, president of basketball/business operatio ...
. Following that, he won his first NBA championship while with the Celtics as an executive, completing the rebuild that Stevens helped begin and oversee as the head coach.
Early life
Stevens grew up in
Zionsville, Indiana
Zionsville is a suburban town located in the extreme southeast area of Boone County, Indiana, Boone County, Indiana, United States, northwest of Indianapolis. The population was 14,160 at the 2010 United States Census, 2010 census and 30,693 at t ...
, where he developed his love for basketball.
Starting at age five, Stevens would watch taped basketball games "before he went to afternoon kindergarten".
His father often drove him to
Bloomington to watch
Indiana Hoosiers
The Indiana Hoosiers are the intercollegiate sports teams and players of Indiana University Bloomington, named after the demonym for people from the state of Indiana. The Hoosiers participate in NCAA Division I, Division I of the National Coll ...
games.
Stevens later stated, "It's hard not to be
n love with basketballwhen you're a kid growing up in Indiana."
For his eighth birthday, Stevens received a new basketball hoop. He later remarked: "It's so much fun to dream in your driveway. That's where my friends and I hung out. It was a lot of fun to grow up in that era."
When a friend, Brandon Monk, had a basketball court installed in his backyard, Stevens "appeared instantaneously."
He was so dedicated to the game that he would bring the unprepared ingredients for grilled cheese sandwiches to Monk's house so that he would not waste time waiting for the sandwiches to cook.
Monk's court soon became a gathering place, where kids from Zionsville and the surrounding areas would hold pickup games.
These games helped develop Stevens' competitive streak.
Besides playing basketball, the young Stevens also enjoyed solving puzzles, a skill he later applied to analyzing opposing teams to find their weaknesses.
Stevens attended
Zionsville Community High School, where he became a star basketball player.
Stevens wore No. 31 in high school in honor of
Indiana Pacers
The Indiana Pacers are an American professional basketball team based in Indianapolis. The Pacers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Central Division (NBA), Central Division of the Eastern Conference (NBA), Ea ...
guard
Reggie Miller
Reginald Wayne Miller (born August 24, 1965) is an American former professional basketball player who List of NBA players who have spent their entire career with one franchise, played his entire 18-year career in the National Basketball Assoc ...
. As a freshman, Stevens got up early to practice shooting at a local gym before school.
The hard work paid off as he made the varsity team that year.
By the end of his high school career, Stevens had set school records for career scoring, assists, steals, and three-point field goals. As of 2017, he still holds the records for career points per game average (26.8), total career points (1,508), assists (444), and steals (156), as well as the single-season points record (644 in 1995). Stevens was named to the all-conference team thrice. In 1995, he was the sectional MVP and the leading scorer in state sectional play (32.3 ppg).
Stevens made the academic all-state first team and received the Straight A Gold Medal Award all four years.
He was a member of the National Honor Society, graduating seventh in his class of 165.
Stevens also earned three letters in basketball, three in track, and one in baseball during his days at Zionsville.
During summers, he traveled the country playing
AAU basketball.
Stevens was recruited to play
Division III basketball at
NCAC powerhouse
DePauw University
DePauw University ( ) is a private liberal arts college in Greencastle, Indiana, United States. It was founded in 1837 as Indiana Asbury College and changed its name to DePauw University in 1884. The college has a Methodist heritage and was ...
,
where he played in all 101 DePauw games, earning four varsity letters.
Stevens earned multiple all-conference and academic all-conference awards, and was a three-time
Academic All-America nominee.
He was a team captain during his senior year and averaged more than eight points per game three of his four years.
Stevens' career highs were 24 points and eight rebounds in a game.
After his senior year, Stevens received the Coaches' Award.
Coach Bill Fenlon later described Stevens as "one of the most selfless, team-oriented person I've ever been around."
At DePauw, Stevens was a member of the Management Fellows Honors Program and the DePauw Community Services' Sports Night executive board.
He was also a brother of the
Alpha Tau Omega
Alpha Tau Omega (), commonly known as ATO, is an American social Fraternities and sororities, fraternity founded at the Virginia Military Institute in 1865 by Otis Allan Glazebrook. The fraternity has around 250 active and inactive chapters an ...
fraternity.
During summer vacations, Stevens spent time teaching at Butler basketball camps.
He was named to the Dean's list and graduated in 1999 with a degree in economics.
College coaching career
In the summer of 2000, Stevens was offered the opportunity to volunteer in the
Butler basketball office.
He ran the idea of quitting his job at
Eli Lilly
Eli Lilly (July 8, 1838 – June 6, 1898) was a Union Army officer, pharmacist, chemist, and businessman who founded Eli Lilly and Company.
Lilly enlisted in the Union Army during the American Civil War and recruited a company of men to ...
by then-longtime girlfriend (and now wife) Tracy Wilhelmy. She thought about it for two hours before telling him to go for it.
Stevens later remarked, "Now, it looks like a great idea. At the time, I thought it was something I really wanted to try."
Tracy began law school to get a
J.D. degree that could support the couple if things did not work out for Stevens.
She later said, "We were 23 and realized this was our chance. Five years down the road, we were probably not going to be in a position to do that. The more success you had at Lilly, the harder it would be to leave."
Stevens planned to live in a friend's basement and took a job at
Applebee's
Applebee's Restaurants LLC. is an American company that develops, franchises, and operates the Applebee's Neighborhood Grill + Bar restaurant chain. The Applebee's concept focuses on casual dining, with mainstream American dishes such as salads, ...
to pay the bills.
Before Stevens started training at Applebee's, he was offered a low-paying administrative position as coordinator of basketball operations under then-coach
Thad Matta.
The position had opened up when assistant coach Jamal Meeks resigned after being arrested on
solicitation
Solicitation is the act of offering, or attempting to purchase, goods and/or services. Legal status may be specific to the time or place where it occurs. The crime of "solicitation to commit a crime" occurs when a person encourages, "solicits, r ...
and drug charges, of which he was later acquitted.
Years later, Matta recalled, "
tevenswas just a hungry young kid that was desperate to get into coaching. He had a great passion and was willing to take a risk to get into the coaching profession."
After Matta left the school following the 2000–01 season, new head coach
Todd Lickliter promoted Stevens to a full-time assistant coach.
Under Lickliter, Stevens was active in every aspect of the game: skills instruction, game preparation, in-game coaching, and recruiting.
Butler was 131–61 during Stevens' time as an assistant coach.
Named head coach
On April 2, 2007, Lickliter resigned in order to take the head-coaching position at the
University of Iowa
The University of Iowa (U of I, UIowa, or Iowa) is a public university, public research university in Iowa City, Iowa, United States. Founded in 1847, it is the oldest and largest university in the state. The University of Iowa is organized int ...
.
The Butler players had a meeting with athletic director
Barry Collier, urging him to promote from within.
Collier, having spent the entire season observing the assistant coaches' interaction with the team, agreed.
The day after Lickliter resigned Stevens and Butler's two other assistant coaches interviewed for the job.
Within 24 hours of the interviews the 30-year-old Stevens was named Butler's new head coach.
According to Collier, Stevens had something older, outside candidates could never match: six years of experience learning the Butler system, dubbed "
The Butler Way" by Collier.
"Age wasn't a factor because I'd seen his ability shine through during the course of the season," Collier said.
2007–08 season

At the start of the 2007–08 season, Stevens was the second-youngest coach in Division I basketball.
He got off to a fast start, winning his first eight games before narrowly falling to
Wright State 43–42.
Legendary coach
Bob Knight
Robert Montgomery Knight (October 25, 1940 – November 1, 2023) was an American men's college basketball coach (basketball), coach. Nicknamed "the General", he won 902 NCAA Division I men's basketball games, a record at the time of his retire ...
, whose
Texas Tech
Texas Tech University (Texas Tech, Tech, or TTU) is a public research university in Lubbock, Texas, United States. Established on February 10, 1923, and called Texas Technological College until 1969, it is the flagship institution of the five- ...
team was an early victim, said: "I wish we played as smart as they do."
Virginia Tech
The Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, commonly referred to as Virginia Tech (VT), is a Public university, public Land-grant college, land-grant research university with its main campus in Blacksburg, Virginia, United States ...
coach
Seth Greenberg added: "they've got toughness about them and they expect to win."
Midway through Stevens' first season, with the Bulldogs at 12–1, ''
The New York Times
''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...
'' wrote "so far, Stevens has made the transition
o head coachlook easy."
''The Times'' went on to state that Stevens had the calm and composure of a seasoned veteran.
"You've got a lot of people always looking for the next step. And that's not what I was doing. I was just trying to figure out a way to win the next game and think like a head coach," Stevens said.
Butler ended the regular season with a 27–3 record, taking first place in the
Horizon League
The Horizon League is a collegiate List of NCAA conferences, athletic conference in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) NCAA Division I, Division I. Headquartered in Indianapolis, the league's eleven member schools are located in ...
with a 16–2 in conference mark.
The team beat
Illinois–Chicago 66–50 and
Cleveland State 70–55 to claim the league's tournament title and an automatic bid to the
2008 NCAA tournament.
Butler was awarded the seven seed in the East Regional. They beat tenth-seeded
South Alabama 81–61 in the first round, before falling to second-seeded
Tennessee
Tennessee (, ), officially the State of Tennessee, is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders Kentucky to the north, Virginia to the northeast, North Carolina t ...
76–71 in overtime.

Stevens ended up with a school and Horizon league record 30 wins, beating several big-name schools—
Michigan
Michigan ( ) is a peninsular U.S. state, state in the Great Lakes region, Great Lakes region of the Upper Midwest, Upper Midwestern United States. It shares water and land boundaries with Minnesota to the northwest, Wisconsin to the west, ...
, Texas Tech,
Florida State
Florida State University (FSU or Florida State) is a Public university, public research university in Tallahassee, Florida, United States. It is a senior member of the State University System of Florida and a preeminent university in the s ...
,
Ohio State
The Ohio State University (Ohio State or OSU) is a public land-grant research university in Columbus, Ohio, United States. A member of the University System of Ohio, it was founded in 1870. It is one of the largest universities by enrollme ...
—along the way.
In doing so, he became the third-youngest head coach in NCAA Division I history to lead a team to 30 wins in a season and became the fourth-winningest first-year coach.
Butler was nationally ranked for a school and league record 19 consecutive weeks.
Butler's 30–4 record was the best among teams that did not reach the Final Four.
Stevens was a finalist for the
Hugh Durham Award, losing to
Keno Davis of
Drake
Drake may refer to:
Animals and creatures
* A male duck
* Drake (mythology), a term related to and often synonymous with dragon
People and fictional characters
* Drake (surname), a list of people and fictional characters with the family ...
, and a finalist for the
Jim Phelan National Coach of the Year Award, losing to
Bo Ryan.
At the end of the season, Butler signed Stevens to a seven-year contract. "We are extremely excited to reach this long-term agreement to have Brad continue to lead our program," Collier remarked.
2008–09 season
Butler lost four starters after the
2007–08 season, and was picked to finish fifth in the Horizon league during the 2008–09 season.
The team got off to a 12–1 start that won Stevens the Hugh Durham mid-season coaching award. On February 5, Stevens notched his 50th win as Butler beat
Detroit
Detroit ( , ) is the List of municipalities in Michigan, most populous city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is situated on the bank of the Detroit River across from Windsor, Ontario. It had a population of 639,111 at the 2020 United State ...
66–61. In so doing, Stevens became the sixth head coach in NCAA history to reach 50 wins in 56 games or fewer. Butler finished first in the Horizon League with a 15–3 in conference record, defying preseason expectations.
Butler lost the Horizon League tournament final 57–54 to
Cleveland State, but made the
NCAA tournament as an at-large selection.
The team received the nine seed in the South Regional, and lost to eighth-seeded
Louisiana State in the first round by a score of 75–71 to finish the year at 26–6 overall.
Stevens' 56–10 two-year record places him third only to
Bill Guthridge
William Wallace Guthridge (July 27, 1937 – May 12, 2015) was an American college basketball coach. Guthridge initially gained recognition after serving for thirty years as Dean Smith's assistant at the University of North Carolina and summin ...
(58) and
Tommy Lloyd (61) in total wins during one's first two years as head coach.
Stevens was a finalist for both the Hugh Durham and Jim Phelan Awards for the second straight year and was named the Horizon League Coach of the Year.
He was also named as a finalist for the
Henry Iba Coach of the Year Award. Stevens was given a one-year contract extension at the conclusion of the season.
2009–10 season
Fueled in large part by
Gordon Hayward
Gordon Daniel Hayward (born March 23, 1990) is an American former professional basketball player. He played 14 seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA) for the Utah Jazz, Boston Celtics, Charlotte Hornets, and Oklahoma City Thunder.
...
's and
Shelvin Mack's roles in leading Team USA to the gold medal in the
FIBA Under-19 World Championship
The FIBA Under-19 Basketball World Cup (formerly FIBA Under-19 World Championship) is the under-19 men's world basketball championship organised by the International Basketball Federation (FIBA). From its inauguration in 1979, until 2007, it was ...
during the off-season, Butler began the season ranked 10th in the
Coaches' Poll
In the United States, the Coaches Poll is a weekly ranking of the top 25 NCAA Division I (NCAA), Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) college football, Division I (NCAA), Division I college basketball, and Division I college baseball teams. ...
and 11th in the
AP Poll. A few commentators picked the Bulldogs as a possible "sleeper team" to make the Final Four. Stevens was not so sure, privately telling his father, "We have a really good team, and I'm not sure how far we can go this year, but ''next year'', we ought to go really far."
Butler got off to a mediocre start, losing twice in the
76 Classic 82–73 to 22nd-ranked
Minnesota
Minnesota ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Upper Midwestern region of the United States. It is bordered by the Canadian provinces of Manitoba and Ontario to the north and east and by the U.S. states of Wisconsin to the east, Iowa to the so ...
and to 19th-ranked
Clemson 70–69. After the tournament Butler's record stood at 4–2 and the team dropped to #23 in the AP Poll and #20 in the Coaches' Poll. Butler won its next two games before falling to 13th-ranked
Georgetown 72–65 in the
Jimmy V Classic.
The team won its next two games beating #15
Ohio State
The Ohio State University (Ohio State or OSU) is a public land-grant research university in Columbus, Ohio, United States. A member of the University System of Ohio, it was founded in 1870. It is one of the largest universities by enrollme ...
74–66 and narrowly edging out former conference rival
Xavier 69–68, both at home.
After losing 67–57 at
UAB three days later,
Butler stood at 9–4 and fell out of the AP rankings. However, the team remained in the Coaches' Poll at #23.
Stevens rallied the team, and they proceeded to win 16 straight games before facing
Siena
Siena ( , ; traditionally spelled Sienna in English; ) is a city in Tuscany, in central Italy, and the capital of the province of Siena. It is the twelfth most populated city in the region by number of inhabitants, with a population of 52,991 ...
in a
BracketBusters game.
Butler beat Siena 70–53 and Stevens tied the NCAA record for most wins (81) by a head coach in his first three seasons set by
Mark Few
Mark Norman Few (born December 27, 1962) is an American college basketball coach who has been the head coach at Gonzaga University since 1999.
He has served on Gonzaga's coaching staff since 1989, and has led the Bulldogs from mid-major obscur ...
of
Gonzaga in 2002 and tied by
Mark Fox of
Nevada
Nevada ( ; ) is a landlocked state in the Western United States. It borders Oregon to the northwest, Idaho to the northeast, California to the west, Arizona to the southeast, and Utah to the east. Nevada is the seventh-most extensive, th ...
in 2007.
On February 26, 2010, Butler traveled to
Valparaiso for their regular-season finale. Leading scorer
Gordon Hayward
Gordon Daniel Hayward (born March 23, 1990) is an American former professional basketball player. He played 14 seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA) for the Utah Jazz, Boston Celtics, Charlotte Hornets, and Oklahoma City Thunder.
...
was sidelined with lower back pain, but the team still won 74–69. In doing so, Stevens broke the coaching record he had tied the prior week and Butler completed an 18–0 undefeated conference schedule. It was Butler's first undefeated conference record since joining the Horizon League, and first since
Joe Sexson led the 1978 team to a 6–0 record in the now-defunct
Indiana Collegiate Conference. Stevens earned his third straight regular-season conference championship.
In the Horizon league tournament, Stevens' Bulldogs used their
home-court advantage to beat
Milwaukee
Milwaukee is the List of cities in Wisconsin, most populous city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. Located on the western shore of Lake Michigan, it is the List of United States cities by population, 31st-most populous city in the United States ...
68–59 in the semifinals and to beat
Wright State 70–45 in the finals.
The win earned the team an automatic bid into the
2010 NCAA tournament, and completed a 20–0 run through league play. Stevens became the first coach to lead a Horizon League team to both an undefeated regular season and conference tournament since the league was formed in 1979. He was also the only coach in Division I to lead his team to an undefeated conference schedule during the 2009–10 season.
NCAA tournament
For their season, the Bulldogs were ranked eighth in the final pre-NCAA tournament Coaches' Poll and 11th in the corresponding AP Poll. On
Selection Sunday, the Bulldogs were seeded fifth in the West regional of the NCAA tournament and given a first-round match-up with twelfth-seeded
UTEP on March 18.
Many basketball commentators picked UTEP to pull the upset,
and at halftime it looked like they might be right, as UTEP led 33–27. Stevens made a number of halftime adjustments, and the Bulldogs came out firing on all cylinders in the second half. The team dominated the second half and won the game 77–59. Butler next faced off with 13th-seeded
Murray State. The game was close throughout, but Butler emerged victorious 54–52 when Hayward deflected a Murray State pass into the back court with less than five seconds on the clock. The win gave Stevens the first Sweet Sixteen appearance of his career.
On March 25, 2010, Butler faced top-seeded
Syracuse
Syracuse most commonly refers to:
* Syracuse, Sicily, Italy; in the province of Syracuse
* Syracuse, New York, USA; in the Syracuse metropolitan area
Syracuse may also refer to:
Places
* Syracuse railway station (disambiguation)
Italy
* Provi ...
. The Bulldogs got off to a good start, jumping out to a 12–1 lead and a 35–25 halftime advantage. Syracuse rallied in the second half, taking its first lead of the game, 40–39, off a
Wes Johnson
Wes Johnson (born June 6, 1961) is an American actor, cartoonist, comedian and voice artist, who has appeared in such films as ''A Dirty Shame'', ''Head of State (2003 film), Head of State'', ''The Invasion (film), The Invasion'', ''For Richer ...
three-pointer. Stevens called timeout and Butler regained the lead on its next possession, stopping the run. At the 5:32 mark, Syracuse got a rare fast-break opportunity that ended with a dunk and 54–50 lead. Stevens again called time out and re-focused the team. Butler responded by holding Syracuse scoreless for the next five minutes, taking a 60–54 lead with 0:59 to go. Butler held on to win 63–59, advancing to the Elite Eight for the first time in school history.
Two days later, Stevens' Bulldogs met second-seeded
Kansas State in the regional finals. Perhaps feeling the effects of their 101–96 double-overtime win two days prior, Kansas State got off to a slow start, scoring just 20 points in the first half to trail 27–20. Butler kept the lead in the upper single digits for most of the second half, before Kansas State went on a 13–2 run and took a 52–51 lead. Stevens immediately called time out and re-focused the team. "Play your game. Just play your game," he told them.
On the ensuing possession, Butler regained the lead for good. They outscored Kansas State 12–4 the rest of the way and won the game 63–56.
In the postgame celebration, Stevens and walk-on forward Emerson Kampen connected on a flying back-bump that became one of the iconic images of the tournament.
The win earned the Bulldogs a trip to Indianapolis for the first Final Four appearance in school and Horizon League history.
The win made Stevens, at age 33, the youngest coach to lead a team to the Final Four since
Bob Knight
Robert Montgomery Knight (October 25, 1940 – November 1, 2023) was an American men's college basketball coach (basketball), coach. Nicknamed "the General", he won 902 NCAA Division I men's basketball games, a record at the time of his retire ...
made his first Final Four appearance at age 32 in 1973.
Butler became the smallest school (enrollment 4,200) to make the Final Four since seeding began in 1979.
=Final Four
=
On April 3, Stevens and the Butler Bulldogs faced off with
Michigan State
Michigan State University (Michigan State or MSU) is a public land-grant research university in East Lansing, Michigan, United States. It was founded in 1855 as the Agricultural College of the State of Michigan, the first of its kind in the ...
in the national semi-finals. Michigan State took an early 14–7 lead, and
Matt Howard got in early foul trouble, sitting most of the first half. Stevens kept the team focused with a "next man up" attitude and the game was tied at 28 at halftime.
The second half was dominated by tight defense for both sides. With 2:45 to go in the game, the score was 47–44 Butler. Michigan State called a time out to set up a play. Stevens correctly anticipated the play call and had
Ronald Nored, the team's best defender, switch onto
Korie Lucious off a screen. Nored stole the ball and Shawn Vanzant got fouled on the resulting run out, hitting 1 of 2. Trailing 50–49 with under 30 seconds remaining, Michigan State came up empty and was forced to foul. Nored hit both foul shots, giving Butler a 52–49 lead. After a Michigan State time-out, Stevens had his team foul Lucious with two seconds remaining to prevent a potentially game tying three-pointer. After making the first, Lucious intentionally missed the second free throw. Hayward came down with the rebound to seal the victory.
Butler became the first team since the
shot clock
A shot clock is a countdown timer used in a variety of games and sports, indicating a set amount of time that a team may possess the object of play before attempting to score a goal. Shot clocks are used in several sports including basketball, w ...
was adopted for the 1985–86 season to hold five straight tournament opponents under 60 points.
On April 5, 2010, Butler and
Duke
Duke is a male title either of a monarch ruling over a duchy, or of a member of Royal family, royalty, or nobility. As rulers, dukes are ranked below emperors, kings, grand princes, grand dukes, and above sovereign princes. As royalty or nobi ...
faced off in what ''The New York Times'' called "the most eagerly awaited championship game in years." Late in the first half, Duke went on an 8–0 run to take a 26–20 lead. Stevens called a timeout, and with starters Matt Howard and Ronald Nored on the bench in foul trouble, Stevens was forced to call on backup center Avery Jukes who came up big for Butler. Jukes scored 10 first half points, tying his season high. At half time, Duke's lead stood at 33–32.
The second half was played very closely, with neither team taking a substantial lead. With 3:16 to play, Duke took a 60–55 lead on two made free throws by
Nolan Smith
Nolan Derek Smith (born July 25, 1988) is an American former professional basketball player and assistant coach for Memphis Tigers men's basketball, Memphis. He played college basketball for Duke before being drafted 21st overall by the Portlan ...
. Butler cut the lead to one point in the final minute and, after a missed
Kyle Singler jump shot with 36 seconds remaining, got a chance to retake the lead. Butler was unable to initiate their offense, and Stevens called a timeout to set up a play. A failed inbounds attempt and a timeout later, Hayward missed a baseline fade-away jumper and
Brian Zoubek came down with the rebound for Duke. He was quickly fouled with less than four seconds remaining. Hayward narrowly missed a desperation half-court shot as time expired, making the final margin 61–59.
The loss snapped Butler's 25-game winning streak, the longest in school history. Butler became the smallest school to play for a National Championship since
Jacksonville
Jacksonville ( ) is the most populous city proper in the U.S. state of Florida, located on the Atlantic coast of North Florida, northeastern Florida. It is the county seat of Duval County, Florida, Duval County, with which the City of Jacksonv ...
in 1970.
Stevens became the second-youngest head coach to coach in the NCAA National Championship Game, behind
Branch McCracken who led the
Indiana Hoosiers
The Indiana Hoosiers are the intercollegiate sports teams and players of Indiana University Bloomington, named after the demonym for people from the state of Indiana. The Hoosiers participate in NCAA Division I, Division I of the National Coll ...
to the
1940 national championship at age 31.
Stevens was named as both a Hugh Durham and Jim Phelan Award finalist for the third consecutive year, losing to
Mike Young and
Jamie Dixon, respectively. He was also a finalist for the
Skip Prosser Man of the Year Award, which was won by
Bob Marlin.
Butler finished the year ranked #2 in the Coaches' Poll, the highest ranking in school history.
The school was ranked for 19 consecutive weeks, tying the school record.
2010 off-season
After the end of the
2009–10 season, Stevens and Butler continued to attract considerable attention. Then-U.S. president
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II (born August 4, 1961) is an American politician who was the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, he was the first African American president in American history. O ...
personally called Stevens to congratulate him on Butler's season.
David Letterman
David Michael Letterman (born April 12, 1947) is an American television host, comedian, writer, producer, and auto racing team owner. He hosted late-night television talk shows for 33 years, beginning with the February 1, 1982, debut of ''Late N ...
had Stevens on his show for a guest appearance.
Butler admissions inquiries increased by 67%.
Stevens received fan letters from around the world, and his phone rang off the hook.
Stevens was even invited to throw the ceremonial first pitch before the
Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are an American professional baseball team based in Chicago. The Cubs compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League Central, Central Division. Th ...
versus
Florida Marlins
The Miami Marlins are an American professional baseball team based in Miami. The Marlins compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) East Division. The team plays its home games at LoanDepot Park.
The ...
game in
Chicago
Chicago is the List of municipalities in Illinois, most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. With a population of 2,746,388, as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of Unite ...
on May 10.
[ ] "It's all been very surreal," Stevens said. "If you are the runner-up, you don't expect to talk to the president."
He added: "It's been a little overwhelming, because I'm a pretty simple guy."
The 2009–10 season also helped increase Butler's recruiting profile. Asked if the increased fame would change things, Stevens said it better not spoil him or the university. Stevens stated: "I look at this new challenge of not changing and sticking to your core values and making sure you remain humble as a great coaching opportunity."
2010–11 season
Rankings by ESPN's
Andy Katz and
Fox Sports
Fox Sports is the brand name for a number of sports channels, broadcast divisions, programming, and other media around the world. The name originates from Fox Broadcasting Company in the United States, which in turn derives its name from Fox Fi ...
' Jeff Goodman released shortly after the 2010 championship game both had Butler third for the 2010–11 season. Duke coach
Mike Krzyzewski
Michael William Krzyzewski ( , ; born February 13, 1947), nicknamed "Coach K", is an American former college basketball coach. He served as the head coach at Duke University from 1980–81 Duke Blue Devils men's basketball team, 1980 to 2021� ...
agreed, saying Butler would be "right up there, No. 1 or No. 2... They'll be a favorite next year."
However, Hayward chose to leave early for the
NBA draft
The NBA draft is the National Basketball Association's (NBA) annual event, dating back to 1947 BAA draft, 1947, in which the teams in the league can Draft (sports), draft players who declare for the draft and that are Eligibility for the NBA dr ...
and Butler went through a rough patch early in the season, at one point losing three straight games and having a 6–5 conference record. Bolstered by the emergence of
Andrew Smith at center and
Matt Howard's success as a perimeter forward, Butler ended up winning a share of the conference title at 13–5. The Bulldogs then won the
Horizon League tournament to secure an automatic NCAA tournament bid and received the No. 8 seed.
Picked by many to lose a first-round match-up against
Old Dominion, Butler advanced on a last-second tip-in by Howard. Howard was also clutch in their next game, hitting a free throw with a less than one second remaining to beat
Pitt in a dramatic finish.
Shelvin Mack scored 30 points in the victory. Butler won their next game when they defeated
Wisconsin
Wisconsin ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Great Lakes region, Great Lakes region of the Upper Midwest of the United States. It borders Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michig ...
. On March 26, 2011, the Bulldogs beat
Florida
Florida ( ; ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders the Gulf of Mexico to the west, Alabama to the northwest, Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia to the north, the Atlantic ...
74–71 in overtime to earn back-to-back trips to the Final Four. A week later, Butler beat fellow
Cinderella
"Cinderella", or "The Little Glass Slipper", is a Folklore, folk tale with thousands of variants that are told throughout the world.Dundes, Alan. Cinderella, a Casebook. Madison, Wis: University of Wisconsin Press, 1988. The protagonist is a you ...
team
VCU 70–62 to make it to a second consecutive national championship game. For the second consecutive year, the Bulldogs fell in the national championship game, this time to
Connecticut
Connecticut ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, New York (state), New York to the west, and Long Island Sound to the south. ...
.
Coaching future
On April 8, 2010, Stevens signed a long-term deal with Butler, extending his contract through the 2021–22 season.
Financial terms of the contract were not disclosed; however, Butler president
Bobby Fong had publicly stated that the university could afford to increase Stevens' base salary to approximately US $1 million a few days prior. He had previously made US$395,000 plus benefits in base salary, a relatively low figure for a successful
Division I head basketball coach. Stevens' total compensation for 2009–10 was estimated at US$750,000.
He had received a raise after each of his three seasons at Butler and his contract contains a buyout clause estimated in the high-six or low-seven figures.
By re-signing with Butler, Stevens temporarily ended speculation that he would leave the university for a higher paying job.
Oregon
Oregon ( , ) is a U.S. state, state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is a part of the Western U.S., with the Columbia River delineating much of Oregon's northern boundary with Washington (state), Washington, while t ...
,
Clemson, and
Wake Forest were all said to be interested in offering Stevens multi-million-dollar contracts to leave Butler.
"First and foremost, I'm loyal to Butler," Stevens said.
When asked if he would ever leave Butler, Stevens replied, "I guess if they kicked me out."
After the 2011–12 season, Stevens was pursued vigorously by
Illinois
Illinois ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern United States. It borders on Lake Michigan to its northeast, the Mississippi River to its west, and the Wabash River, Wabash and Ohio River, Ohio rivers to its ...
to fill their coaching vacancy before he declined their offer.
In March 2013,
UCLA
The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) is a public land-grant research university in Los Angeles, California, United States. Its academic roots were established in 1881 as a normal school then known as the southern branch of the C ...
reportedly offered Stevens between $2.5 and $3 million a year to leave Butler. Rumors circulated that he was in contract negotiations with UCLA, but ultimately the rumors proved false and Stevens stayed at Butler.
[ Commenting on the situation, a source close to Stevens said: "Brad doesn't understand why people would assume he's leaving."] A few days later, Stevens reiterated that he was very happy at Butler and had no intentions to leave as long as he had the support of the university to continue running the program the "right way."
NBA coaching career
On July 3, 2013, Stevens was hired as the head coach of the Boston Celtics
The Boston Celtics ( ) are an American professional basketball team based in Boston. The Celtics compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Atlantic Division (NBA), Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference (NBA), ...
. In his second season as head coach, Stevens led the team to the 2015 playoffs as the #7-seed in the Eastern Conference with a 40–42 record.[ On April 21, 2015, it was announced that Stevens finished fourth in voting for the NBA's Coach of the Year Award. In his third season, Stevens led the Celtics to their second consecutive playoff appearance as the #5-seed in the 2016 playoffs, finishing the season with a 48–34 record.]
Stevens was named the Eastern Conference Coach of the Month for April 2015. He led the Celtics to the East's best record in April at 7–1. The Celtics recorded a 4–0 mark on the road, and closed the month with six consecutive victories—five of them against playoff teams. On February 28, 2016, Stevens was named the Eastern Conference Coach of the Month for February. He guided his squad to an Eastern Conference-best 9–3 record during the month, including a perfect 6–0 mark at home. The Celtics (36–25 overall) finished the month in sole possession of third place in the East behind the Cleveland Cavaliers
The Cleveland Cavaliers, often referred to as the Cavs, are an American professional basketball team based in Cleveland. The Cavaliers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Central Division (NBA), Central Divis ...
and Atlantic Division foe the Toronto Raptors
The Toronto Raptors are a Canadian professional basketball team based in Toronto. The Raptors compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Atlantic Division (NBA), Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference (NBA), E ...
.
On June 1, 2016, Stevens received a contract extension. On February 3, 2017, he was named the Eastern Conference head coach for the 2017 NBA All-Star Game
The 2017 NBA All-Star Game was an exhibition basketball game that was played on February 19, 2017, during the National Basketball Association's (NBA) 2016–17 season. It was the 66th edition of the NBA All-Star Game, and was played at the Smoo ...
. In his fourth season as head coach, Stevens led the Celtics to the playoffs
The playoffs, play-offs, postseason or finals of a sports league are a competition played after the regular season by the top competitors to determine the league champion or a similar accolade. Depending on the league, the playoffs may be eithe ...
as the top seed in the Eastern Conference with a 53–29 record. They reached the Eastern Conference Finals, where they lost to the defending champion Cleveland Cavaliers in five games.
On July 4, 2017, Stevens was reunited with his former college player Gordon Hayward
Gordon Daniel Hayward (born March 23, 1990) is an American former professional basketball player. He played 14 seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA) for the Utah Jazz, Boston Celtics, Charlotte Hornets, and Oklahoma City Thunder.
...
when Hayward signed a contract to play for the Celtics. In the 2017–18 season, the Celtics' roster saw a massive change, as two-time All-Star Isaiah Thomas was traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers in exchange for Kyrie Irving. Stevens and the Celtics went 55–27, finishing the season as the second seed in the Eastern Conference, despite losing Hayward for the season to a broken ankle in the first game of the season and Irving missing significant playing time due to knee injuries. Despite Irving missing the playoffs, Stevens led the Celtics on a deep playoff run, losing to the Cleveland Cavaliers in seven games during the Eastern Conference Finals. Stevens was considered a front-runner for the NBA Coach of the Year Award, but lost to Dwane Casey
Dwane Lyndon Casey (born April 17, 1957) is an American retired basketball coach who most recently served as the head coach of the Detroit Pistons before transitioning to a front office position with the team. He is a former NCAA basketball pla ...
of the Toronto Raptors
The Toronto Raptors are a Canadian professional basketball team based in Toronto. The Raptors compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Atlantic Division (NBA), Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference (NBA), E ...
.
Executive career
2021–22 season
On June 2, 2021, the Celtics named Stevens as the new president of basketball operations and ''de facto'' general manager, replacing Danny Ainge
Daniel Ray Ainge ( ; born March 17, 1959) is an American former professional basketball player, coach, and professional baseball player who serves as the chief executive officer for the Utah Jazz of the National Basketball Association (NB ...
, who announced his retirement, though Ainge later joined the Utah Jazz as their alternate governor in December 2021. On June 18, Stevens made his first transaction in his new position by trading away Kemba Walker
Kemba Hudley Walker (born May 8, 1990) is an American professional basketball coach and former player who is a player enhancement coach for the Charlotte Hornets of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He was picked ninth overall by the C ...
, the 16th pick in the 2021 NBA draft, and a 2025 second-round pick in exchange for Al Horford
Alfred Joel Horford Reynoso (born June 3, 1986), nicknamed Big Al, is a Dominican professional basketball player for the Boston Celtics of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He is a five-time NBA All-Star and won the NBA championship wi ...
, Moses Brown, and a 2023
Catastrophic natural disasters in 2023 included the Lists of 21st-century earthquakes, 5th-deadliest earthquake of the 21st century 2023 Turkey–Syria earthquakes, striking Turkey and Syria, leaving up to 62,000 people dead; Cyclone Freddy ...
second-round pick. The deal gave the Celtics a bit more financial flexibility with Horford due about $20 million less than Walker over the next two years. The Celtics also improved their depth in the frontcourt by adding Horford and Brown, who recorded 21 points and 23 rebounds, which included 19 rebounds in the first half, in a March 27 game between the Celtics and the Thunder.
On June 23, it was reported that Stevens made the decision to hire Brooklyn Nets
The Brooklyn Nets are an American professional basketball team based in the Boroughs of New York City, New York City borough of Brooklyn. The Nets compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Atlantic Division (NBA), ...
assistant coach Ime Udoka as his own replacement as head coach of the Celtics. The hiring became official five days later. Stevens later stated that he hired Udoka because the latter had "a great approachability." In Udoka's first year as head coach and Stevens' first year as an executive, the Celtics overcame an 18–21 start and ended up finishing as the #2-seed in the Eastern Conference with a 51–31 record. During the turnaround, Stevens and the Celtics traded Josh Richardson, Romeo Langford, a 2022 first-round pick (which turned into Blake Wesley), and the rights to swap 2028 first-round picks to the San Antonio Spurs
The San Antonio Spurs are an American professional basketball team based in San Antonio. The Spurs compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Southwest Division (NBA), Southwest Division of the Western Conference (NBA ...
in exchange for Derrick White, who became a key contributor for the Celtics. In the playoffs, the Celtics swept the Brooklyn Nets
The Brooklyn Nets are an American professional basketball team based in the Boroughs of New York City, New York City borough of Brooklyn. The Nets compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Atlantic Division (NBA), ...
during the first round and then went on to beat the Milwaukee Bucks
The Milwaukee Bucks are an American professional basketball team based in Milwaukee. The Bucks compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Central Division (NBA), Central Division of the Eastern Conference (NBA), East ...
in seven games during the Eastern Conference Semifinals. After defeating the Miami Heat
The Miami Heat are an American professional basketball team based in Miami. The Heat compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Southeast Division (NBA), Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference (NBA), Eastern C ...
in seven games during the Eastern Conference Finals, the Celtics made their first NBA Finals
The NBA Finals is the annual championship series of the National Basketball Association (NBA). The Eastern Conference (NBA), Eastern and Western Conference (NBA), Western Conference champions play a best-of-seven series to determine the league ...
appearance since 2010
The year saw a multitude of natural and environmental disasters such as the 2010 Haiti earthquake, the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, and the 2010 Chile earthquake. The 2009 swine flu pandemic, swine flu pandemic which began the previous year ...
. However, the Celtics lost the 2022 NBA Finals
The 2022 NBA Finals was the NBA Finals, championship series of the National Basketball Association (NBA)'s 2021–22 NBA season, 2021–22 season and conclusion of the 2022 NBA playoffs, season's playoffs. In this best-of-seven playoff series, ...
to the Golden State Warriors
The Golden State Warriors are an American professional basketball team based in San Francisco. The Warriors compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference. Founded in 1946 i ...
in six games despite a 2 –1 lead.
2022–23 season
On July 9, 2022, Stevens and the Celtics traded Aaron Nesmith, Daniel Theis, Nik Stauskas
Nikolas Tomas Stauskas (born October 7, 1993) is a Canadian former professional basketball player who played six seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA). A shooting guard, Stauskas played two seasons of college basketball for the Mi ...
, Malik Fitts, Juwan Morgan, and a 2023 first-round draft pick to the Indiana Pacers
The Indiana Pacers are an American professional basketball team based in Indianapolis. The Pacers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Central Division (NBA), Central Division of the Eastern Conference (NBA), Ea ...
in exchange for Malcolm Brogdon
Malcolm Moses Adams Brogdon (born December 11, 1992) is an American professional basketball player for the Washington Wizards of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for the University of Virginia Cavaliers und ...
. On September 22, Stevens and the Celtics suspended Udoka for the entire 2022–23 season for violating team policies pertaining to an improper intimate relationship with a female Celtics staff member. Assistant coach Joe Mazzulla replaced Udoka as the interim head coach. On February 16, 2023, Stevens and the Celtics named Mazzulla the team's permanent head coach and signed him to an extension after Mazzulla led the Celtics to a league-best 42–17 record at the NBA All-Star break. The Celtics entered the playoffs as the #2-seed in the Eastern Conference with a 57–25 record. They went on to beat the Atlanta Hawks
The Atlanta Hawks are an American professional basketball team based in Atlanta. The Hawks compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Southeast Division (NBA), Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference (NBA), Easte ...
in six games during the first round and the Philadelphia 76ers
The Philadelphia 76ers, also known colloquially as the Sixers, are an American professional basketball team based in the Philadelphia metropolitan area. The 76ers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Atlan ...
in seven games during the Eastern Conference Semifinals. However, the Celtics lost to the #8-seed Miami Heat
The Miami Heat are an American professional basketball team based in Miami. The Heat compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Southeast Division (NBA), Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference (NBA), Eastern C ...
during the Eastern Conference Finals in seven games.
2023–24 season
Stevens and the Celtics retained Mazzulla as head coach for the 2023–24 season, with Stevens calling Mazzulla "a terrific leader" and "accountable." On June 22, 2023, Stevens and the Celtics traded Marcus Smart
Marcus Osmond Smart (born March 6, 1994) is an American professional basketball player for the Washington Wizards of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for the Oklahoma State Cowboys basketball, Oklahoma Stat ...
to the Memphis Grizzlies
The Memphis Grizzlies (referred to locally as the Grizz) are an American professional basketball team based in Memphis, Tennessee. The Grizzlies compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Southwest Division of the ...
as part of a three-team deal that sent Kristaps Porziņģis
Kristaps Porziņģis (; born 2 August 1995) is a Latvian professional basketball player for the Boston Celtics of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Nicknamed "The Unicorn" for his ability to make plays and shoot 3-pointers as a Center ...
to the Celtics and Tyus Jones to Washington. The trade also involved the Grizzlies sending a 2023 first-round pick (pick No. 25) and a top-four-protected 2024 first-round pick (via Golden State Warriors
The Golden State Warriors are an American professional basketball team based in San Francisco. The Warriors compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference. Founded in 1946 i ...
) to the Celtics. A few months later on October 1, Stevens and the Celtics traded Robert Williams III, Malcolm Brogdon
Malcolm Moses Adams Brogdon (born December 11, 1992) is an American professional basketball player for the Washington Wizards of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for the University of Virginia Cavaliers und ...
, and two future first-round draft picks to the Portland Trail Blazers
The Portland Trail Blazers (colloquially known as the Blazers) are an American professional basketball team based in Portland, Oregon. The Trail Blazers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Northwest Division (N ...
in exchange for Jrue Holiday.
On April 30, 2024, Stevens was awarded the NBA Executive of the Year Award
The NBA Executive of the Year is an annual award in the National Basketball Association (NBA) award given since the 1972–73 NBA season, to the league's best general manager, president of basketball/business operations, or another high-ranking e ...
for the 2023–24 season. The Celtics went on to beat the Miami Heat
The Miami Heat are an American professional basketball team based in Miami. The Heat compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Southeast Division (NBA), Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference (NBA), Eastern C ...
and Cleveland Cavaliers
The Cleveland Cavaliers, often referred to as the Cavs, are an American professional basketball team based in Cleveland. The Cavaliers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Central Division (NBA), Central Divis ...
in five games during the first round and Eastern Conference Semifinals, respectively. After completing a 4–0 sweep of the Indiana Pacers
The Indiana Pacers are an American professional basketball team based in Indianapolis. The Pacers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Central Division (NBA), Central Division of the Eastern Conference (NBA), Ea ...
in the Eastern Conference Finals, the Celtics advanced to the 2024 NBA Finals
The 2024 NBA Finals was the championship series of the National Basketball Association (NBA)'s 2023–24 NBA season, 2023–24 season and conclusion to 2024 NBA playoffs, the season's playoffs. In the best-of-seven playoffs series, the Eastern ...
. They went on to beat the Dallas Mavericks
The Dallas Mavericks (often referred to as the Mavs) are an American professional basketball team based in Dallas. The Mavericks compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Southwest Division (NBA), Southwest Divisi ...
in five games, giving Stevens his first NBA Championship.
Coaching style
According to Stevens, in one of his first games as head coach, he was nervous and "felt like our team played on edge" because of it. Stevens decided that a team's play will reflect its coach's mood; a calm coach means a team that will remain poised in difficult game situations, while a nervous coach means a team that plays on edge. "I don't want to lose a game because of my approach," he told himself. Accordingly, Stevens developed a strategy of always remaining calm and focused during games. He rarely raises his voice or gets emotional, instead quietly observing on the sideline with folded arms. Stevens does not get upset about bad calls by referees or player mistakes, preferring to focus on "the next play" rather than what just happened. Butler player Willie Veasley explained Butler's 2010 Final Four run by saying, "When those big runs y Syracuse and Kansas Statecame, Coach called a timeout and said a few calm words. Then he said he believes in us, he loves us and we're going to win the game." On the rare occasion Stevens feels the need to correct a player, he does it with "positive reinforcement
Positive is a property of positivity and may refer to:
Mathematics and science
* Positive formula, a logical formula not containing negation
* Positive number, a number that is greater than 0
* Plus sign, the sign "+" used to indicate a posit ...
, just at a little louder decibel", according to former assistant coach Matthew Graves. Above all, Stevens wants his players to be confident, not living in fear of being yanked for making a bad play.
Externally, Stevens is always calm, but internally, he is far from it. "I'm not as calm as everybody thinks," Stevens says. His wife Tracy adds, "He's calm and collected, but he's fiercely competitive. He's always thinking about how he can beat you." Former player Joel Cornette says, "Everyone sees Brad as a level-headed, calm and cool coach, but he's about as competitive of a guy as I know. We would get into it constantly, whether playing two-on-two or arguing about players' having better college careers."
Stevens spends a lot of time preparing for each game, and always tries to add a few new wrinkles specific to that game's opponent. ''Sports Illustrated
''Sports Illustrated'' (''SI'') is an American sports magazine first published in August 1954. Founded by Stuart Scheftel, it was the first magazine with a circulation of over one million to win the National Magazine Award for General Excellen ...
'' calls him an expert "on breaking down tape and looking at statistical trends to find opponents' weaknesses." Former player Ronald Nored agrees: "We know everything we need to about our opponents, all their tendencies are broken down" ahead of time.
Stevens is a proponent of statistical analysis
Statistical inference is the process of using data analysis to infer properties of an underlying probability distribution.Upton, G., Cook, I. (2008) ''Oxford Dictionary of Statistics'', OUP. . Inferential statistical analysis infers properties of ...
to enhance his coaching decisions, spending almost as much time looking at statistics as watching game film. "I think it's a unique way of looking at the game that may be able to help best communicate to your players", Stevens explains. For example, when Butler was slumping in late 2010, Stevens challenged his team: "this 6% defensive field goal percentageis where we are. This isn't acceptable to get to where we want to go. But what does that really mean? It's not just get better defensively, it is, if we give up three less baskets a game, then we will be at 40 percent field goal percentage defense which will be top 20 in the country."[ The team got the message, improved throughout the season, and ultimately went on a March run fueled by defense.][ In 2012, Stevens became the first college coach to hire someone solely for statistical research when he added Drew Cannon to the staff.][ If he had the resources, Stevens says he would hire a team of statisticians to analyze the team's play.]
Stevens' teams are built around solid basketball fundamentals and good teamwork rather than individual basketball skill. His teams are known for their defense, forcing opponents into uncharacteristic mistakes. Stevens says that the secret to basketball—and life—is "just to do the job to the best of your ability and don't worry about anything else." He also states, "Win the next game. Win the next possession. That's our focus. It's boring. It's also the way championships are won." In short, Stevens is a strong believer in "The Butler Way"—doing all the little things that transform a group of good basketball players into a great basketball team. "I tell the players 'the Butler Way' isn't easy to define," Stevens says, "but you can see it on the floor when we share the basketball, play with great energy and defend."
Stevens prefers to recruit strong team players instead of going after "top recruits." He says, "The guys we ave
is a Latin word, used by the Roman Empire, Romans as a salutation (greeting), salutation and greeting, meaning 'wikt:hail, hail'. It is the singular imperative mood, imperative form of the verb , which meant 'Well-being, to be well'; thus on ...
recruited, most of them weren't very highly ranked. They had very good high school careers or careers at other places (transfers), but for one reason or the other they weren't seen as great players. But they all had intangibles." Stevens puts a strong emphasis on education and has said he would only recruit a "one and done" player if he was committed to getting his degree while playing professionally.[
Stevens has often been referred to as a coaching prodigy,] but is not interested in self-promotion. Stevens instead prefers to deflect the praise he receives to the players, athletic department, and his mentors. Stevens has not been known to posture for more money, or to leak his name for open coaching positions. Stevens has been described as humble, modest, and not "about the money."
''The New York Times'', ''USA Today
''USA Today'' (often stylized in all caps) is an American daily middle-market newspaper and news broadcasting company. Founded by Al Neuharth in 1980 and launched on September 14, 1982, the newspaper operates from Gannett's corporate headq ...
'', ESPN
ESPN (an initialism of their original name, which was the Entertainment and Sports Programming Network) is an American international basic cable sports channel owned by the Walt Disney Company (80% and operational control) and Hearst Commu ...
, and other commentators attributed Butler's success against teams with superior athletes to Stevens' coaching style. ''The Times'' remarked, "the Bulldogs are very well prepared for their opponents, and they do not rattle easily", and says that the resulting confidence has led to the team's success. "He coaches to his personality and to his strengths," Collier says. "Obviously, he has great rapport and communication ability with his team." Yahoo! Sports
Yahoo! Sports is a sports news website launched by Yahoo! on December 8, 1997. It receives a majority of its information from Stats Perform. It employs numerous writers, and has team pages for teams in almost every North American major sport. ...
compared Stevens to legendary coach John Wooden
John Robert Wooden (October 14, 1910 – June 4, 2010) was an American basketball coach and player. Nicknamed "the Wizard of Westwood", he won ten National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament, nati ...
, writing: "Brad Stevens is winning at Butler the Wooden way—calm and composed on the sideline." Wooden agreed, saying, "I enjoy watching tevensand very much enjoy utler'sstyle of play."
With background at his short Eli Lilly stint, Stevens also gave a priority to mental health in his locker room. Stevens implemented wellness programs and invited Dr. Stephanie Pinder-Amaker, founding director of McLean Hospital
McLean Hospital () (formerly known as Somerville Asylum and Charlestown Asylum) is a psychiatric hospital in Belmont, Massachusetts. McLean maintains the world's largest neuroscientific and psychiatric research program in a private hospital. It i ...
's College Mental Health Program, to speak to his players.
Personal life
Stevens is known for projecting a professional, "corporate" look from the sidelines. Asked what his life would be like if he had never taken up coaching, Stevens replied, "If everything else remained the same, I would have been as happy as heck... Friends and family and faith, they're going to take the cake over all this stuff." Stevens met his wife, Tracy (née
The birth name is the name of the person given upon their birth. The term may be applied to the surname, the given name or to the entire name. Where births are required to be officially registered, the entire name entered onto a births registe ...
Wilhelmy), while attending DePauw University
DePauw University ( ) is a private liberal arts college in Greencastle, Indiana, United States. It was founded in 1837 as Indiana Asbury College and changed its name to DePauw University in 1884. The college has a Methodist heritage and was ...
. Tracy, who played soccer
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a team sport played between two teams of 11 Football player, players who almost exclusively use their feet to propel a Ball (association football), ball around a rectangular f ...
for DePauw, quickly learned of Brad's love for basketball; on their third date, he drove her an hour and a half to attend a high school basketball game. Tracy graduated from Rocky River High School in 1995, and from DePauw in 1999. She returned to school in 2000, driving five hours from Case Western's law school
A law school (also known as a law centre/center, college of law, or faculty of law) is an institution, professional school, or department of a college or university specializing in legal education, usually involved as part of a process for b ...
to Indianapolis on weekends to see Stevens. Tracy finished her final year of law school in Indianapolis, and the couple got married in August 2003. Tracy works as a labor and employment lawyer, and also serves as Stevens' agent. Stevens and his wife have two children, Kinsley and Brady. Brady plays basketball at Notre Dame.
Brad and Tracy are involved with the American Cancer Society
The American Cancer Society (ACS) is a nationwide non-profit organization dedicated to eliminating cancer. The ACS publishes the journals ''Cancer'', '' CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians'' and '' Cancer Cytopathology''.
History
The society w ...
's Coaches Vs. Cancer. Stevens says that the cause really hit home for them after Tracy's mother died of the disease in June 2004. The day before Butler's 2010 Final Four appearance, they hosted a fundraiser for the organization. Stevens has also volunteered his time to the Jukes Foundation for Kids, a charity benefiting Uganda
Uganda, officially the Republic of Uganda, is a landlocked country in East Africa. It is bordered to the east by Kenya, to the north by South Sudan, to the west by the Democratic Republic of the Congo, to the south-west by Rwanda, and to the ...
n children run by former Butler player Avery Jukes. Stevens remains in close contact with the Butler basketball family; he notably took a one-game leave from the Celtics in January 2016 to visit with Andrew Smith, a player on both of Butler's Final Four teams who was dying of cancer; Smith died less than a week later. At the request of Andrew's widow, Sam, Stevens delivered the eulogy at the memorial service on January 17, 2016.
Stevens' father, Mark, is an orthopedic surgeon in Indianapolis who played college football
College football is gridiron football that is played by teams of amateur Student athlete, student-athletes at universities and colleges. It was through collegiate competition that gridiron football American football in the United States, firs ...
for Indiana
Indiana ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders Lake Michigan to the northwest, Michigan to the north and northeast, Ohio to the east, the Ohio River and Kentucky to the s ...
. His mother, Jan, is a university professor who has previously taught at Butler.
Head coaching record
College
NBA
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First most commonly refers to:
* First, the ordinal form of the number 1
First or 1st may also refer to:
Acronyms
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Boston is the capital and most populous city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the United States. The city serves as the cultural and Financial centre, financial center of New England, a region of the Northeas ...
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First most commonly refers to:
* First, the ordinal form of the number 1
First or 1st may also refer to:
Acronyms
* Faint Images of the Radio Sky at Twenty-Centimeters, an astronomical survey carried out by the Very Large Array
* Far Infrared a ...
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Boston is the capital and most populous city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the United States. The city serves as the cultural and Financial centre, financial center of New England, a region of the Northeas ...
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Boston is the capital and most populous city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the United States. The city serves as the cultural and Financial centre, financial center of New England, a region of the Northeas ...
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The Atlantic Ocean is the second largest of the world's five oceanic divisions, with an area of about . It covers approximately 17% of Earth's surface and about 24% of its water surface area. During the Age of Discovery, it was known for se ...
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Boston is the capital and most populous city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the United States. The city serves as the cultural and Financial centre, financial center of New England, a region of the Northeas ...
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The Atlantic Ocean is the second largest of the world's five oceanic divisions, with an area of about . It covers approximately 17% of Earth's surface and about 24% of its water surface area. During the Age of Discovery, it was known for se ...
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Boston is the capital and most populous city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the United States. The city serves as the cultural and Financial centre, financial center of New England, a region of the Northeas ...
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The Atlantic Ocean is the second largest of the world's five oceanic divisions, with an area of about . It covers approximately 17% of Earth's surface and about 24% of its water surface area. During the Age of Discovery, it was known for se ...
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Boston is the capital and most populous city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the United States. The city serves as the cultural and Financial centre, financial center of New England, a region of the Northeas ...
, style="text-align:left;",
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The Atlantic Ocean is the second largest of the world's five oceanic divisions, with an area of about . It covers approximately 17% of Earth's surface and about 24% of its water surface area. During the Age of Discovery, it was known for se ...
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, style="text-align:center;", Lost in First round
First most commonly refers to:
* First, the ordinal form of the number 1
First or 1st may also refer to:
Acronyms
* Faint Images of the Radio Sky at Twenty-Centimeters, an astronomical survey carried out by the Very Large Array
* Far Infrared a ...
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, style="text-align:center;" colspan="2", Career
, 636, , 354, , 282, , , , , , 78, , 38, , 40, , , ,
Awards and Honors
NBA
* 2017 NBA All-Star Game Head Coach
* 2024 NBA Executive of the Year
* 2024 NBA Champion (as Boston Celtics President of Basketball Operations)
NCAA
* Two-time Horizon League Coach of the Year (2009, 2010)
* Three-time Undisputed Horizon League Champion (regular season and conference tournament - 2008, 2010, 2011 as head coach at Butler)
See also
* List of NCAA Division I Men's Final Four appearances by coach
This is a list of the NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament regional championships by coach. The current names of the NCAA tournament regions are the East, Midwest, South, and West. The winners of the four regions are awarded an NCAA Regiona ...
References
Further reading
*
*:''Sports Illustrated'' provides a detailed look at Stevens' coaching techniques by going inside the Butler locker room before their 2008 NCAA Tournament game against Tennessee.
*
*:Butler beat reporter for the ''Indianapolis Star
Indianapolis ( ), colloquially known as Indy, is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Indiana and the county seat of Marion County. Indianapolis is situated in the state's central till plain region along the west fork of ...
'' David Woods writes about the re-emergence of Butler as a national power in basketball.
*
*:''New York Post
The ''New York Post'' (''NY Post'') is an American Conservatism in the United States, conservative
daily Tabloid (newspaper format), tabloid newspaper published in New York City. The ''Post'' also operates three online sites: NYPost. ...
'' contributor Steve Serby interviews Stevens, asking about his background and about the public's reaction to Butler's 2010 playoff run.
External links
DePauw profile
Butler profile
Boston Celtics profile
{{DEFAULTSORT:Stevens, Brad
1976 births
Living people
American men's basketball coaches
American men's basketball players
Basketball coaches from Indiana
Basketball players from Indianapolis
Boston Celtics executives
Boston Celtics head coaches
Butler Bulldogs men's basketball coaches
College men's basketball head coaches in the United States
DePauw Tigers men's basketball players
Eli Lilly and Company people
Sportspeople from Zionsville, Indiana
Point guards