Steve Hetzel is an American professional

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 ...

coach who is an assistant coach for 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), ...

of the

National Basketball Association The National Basketball Association (NBA) is a professional basketball league in North America composed of 30 teams (29 in the United States and 1 in Canada). The NBA is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United States and Ca ...

(NBA).

Coaching career

Hetzel began his career in the NBA as an assistant video coordinator for 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 ...

during the 2005–2006 season under head coach

Gregg Popovich Gregg Charles Popovich (born January 28, 1949) is an American professional basketball executive and former coach who is the president for the San Antonio Spurs of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He was the List of current NBA head co ...

. He later worked as the video coordinator for 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 ...

for three seasons from 2006 to 2009 under head coach Mike Brown. Hetzel earned his first coaching position with the

Detroit Pistons The Detroit Pistons are an American professional basketball team based in Detroit. The Pistons compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Central Division (NBA), Central Division of the Eastern Conference (NBA), East ...

in 2009, spending four seasons as a player development coach until 2013. As a player development coach in Detroit, Hetzel was responsible for creating player progression plans and monitoring player growth. In 2013, Hetzel became the head coach of the

Canton Charge The Cleveland Charge are an American professional basketball team in the NBA G League based in Cleveland, and are affiliated with the Cleveland Cavaliers. Since 2024, the team plays its home games at Public Auditorium in downtown Cleveland, thoug ...

of the NBA G-League, the G-League affiliate of the

. He replaced D-League coach of the year Alex Jensen, who left to become a development coach for 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 ...

. Hetzel served one season as head coach of the Charge leading the team to a 28–22 record in his lone season. Hetzel earned his first assistant coaching job in the NBA in 2014, being hired by the

Charlotte Hornets The Charlotte Hornets are an American professional basketball team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. The Hornets compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference. The team ...

as an assistant coach under head coach

Steve Clifford Steven Gerald Clifford (born September 17, 1961) is an American professional basketball coach and executive who serves as a front office advisor for the Charlotte Hornets of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He previously served as the ...

. He worked with the Hornets until 2018 when he was hired by the

Orlando Magic The Orlando Magic are an American professional basketball team based in Orlando, Florida. The Magic compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Southeast Division (NBA), Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference (NB ...

where he worked from 2018 until 2021. In 2022, Hetzel coached 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 ...

summer league team to the

2022 NBA Summer League The 2022 NBA Summer League, also branded as the NBA 2K23 Summer League 2022, was an off-season competition held by the National Basketball Association (NBA) primarily at the Thomas and Mack Center and Cox Pavilion in Las Vegas, Nevada on the cam ...

championship. He was named an assistant coach for the Trail Blazers under head coach

Chauncey Billups Chauncey Ray Billups (born September 25, 1976) is an American professional basketball coach and former player who is the head coach of the Portland Trail Blazers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). After playing college basketball with ...

for the 2021–22 season and spent three seasons in Portland. On April 21, 2024, it was reported that Hetzel would be joining the

as an assistant coach under new head coach

Jordi Fernández Jordi Fernández Torres (born December 27, 1982) is a Spanish professional basketball coach who is the head coach for the Brooklyn Nets of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Coaching career In his native Spain, Fernández started his ...

. The hiring was officially announced by the Nets on May 31, 2024.

Personal life

Hetzel is a native of

Allen Park, Michigan Allen Park is a city in Wayne County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2020 Census, the population was 27,528. Ford Motor Company is an integral part of the community. Many of the company's offices and facilities lie within the city lim ...

. Hetzel graduated from

Michigan State University Michigan State University (Michigan State or MSU) is a public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in East Lansing, Michigan, United States. It was founded in 1855 as the Agricultural College of the State o ...

in 2005. At Michigan State, Hetzel majored in

kinesiology Kinesiology () is the scientific study of human body movement. Kinesiology addresses physiological, anatomical, Biomechanics, biomechanical, Pathology, pathological, neuropsychological principles and mechanisms of movement. Applications of kines ...

and was a student manager for the

Michigan State Spartans The Michigan State Spartans are the athletic teams that represent Michigan State University. The school's athletic program includes 23 Varsity team, varsity sports teams. Their mascot is a Spartan Army, Spartan warrior named Sparty, and the sc ...

under head coach

Tom Izzo Thomas Michael Izzo (, ; born January 30, 1955) is an American college basketball coach who has been the head coach at Michigan State University since 1995. On April 4, 2016, Izzo was elected to the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame. Izzo has le ...

from 2003 to 2005. He is married to his wife Anne and has three children, Aden, Selah, and Jackie.

References

External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hetzel, Steve Year of birth missing (living people) Living people Basketball coaches from Michigan Charlotte Hornets assistant coaches Detroit Pistons assistant coaches Michigan State University alumni Orlando Magic assistant coaches Portland Trail Blazers assistant coaches