Who is Brad Stevens?
Famous American basketball executive and former coach Bradley Kent Stevens, was born in Zionsville, Indiana USA on 22 October 1976, making Libra his zodiac sign. He’s probably known best for the time which he spent coaching the Boston Celtics of the National Basketball Association (NBA), leading them to playoffs every year from 2014 through 2021, while they competed in the Eastern Conference Finals thrice from 2017 through 2020; Brad’s widely considered as one of the best basketball coaches of all time, and has since 2021 been working as the Celtics’ president of basketball operations.
Brad Stevens explains why he didn't receive any Coach of the Year votes from his peers."The way that thing works is…
Posted by NBA World on Thursday, May 10, 2018
Education and early life
Brad was raised in Zionsville by his mother Jan who’s a university professor and once taught at Butler, and father Mark who’s an orthopedic surgeon, and who played football at Indiana University, Bloomington. Brad’s believed to be an only child, having not spoken of any siblings.
He fell in love with playing basketball at the age of five, and often watched the Indiana Hoosiers games together with his father. He was eight when his parents gifted him a basketball hoop, and Brad then spent most of his spare time playing basketball together with his friends. He studied at Zionsville Community High School and was the best basketball player there, joining its varsity team during his freshman year. By the time he matriculated in 1995, Brad held records for three-point field goals, steals, assists and career scoring, amongst others, while he still today holds five records.
He then enrolled at DePauw University on a basketball scholarship, and played in 101 basketball games with their team; Brad graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in economics in 1999.
Career as a coach
Brad began working at the American pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly and Company upon graduation, but in the summer of 2000 was convinced by his wife to quit his job and volunteer with the Butler Bulldogs basketball team; he was then offered work as the Bulldogs’ co-ordinator of basketball operations, and was promoted to full-time assistant coach in 2001, after the Bulldogs welcomed their new head coach Todd Lickliter. He then became active in every aspect of the Bulldogs’ play, including in-game coaching, skills instruction and recruiting.
Todd resigned on 2 April 2007, and Brad became the Bulldogs’ new head coach a day later; he was the Division I Basketball’s second youngest coach, but led his team to win their first eight games, prior to losing 43-42 to Wright State. The Bulldogs went on to win 12 of their 13 games, while Brad was praised by both other head coaches and critics. He ended the 2007-2008 season with 27 wins and three losses, while they also won the Horizon League, but lost in the 2008 NCAA Tournament; Brad then signed a seven-year contract with the Bulldogs.
Coach Brad Stevens x Kyrie Irving. #CelticsAllAccess pic.twitter.com/PMbTKfonZd
— NBA (@NBA) September 30, 2017
He won 12 of his first 13 games in the 2008-2009 season, again winning the Horizon League; they reached the NCAA Tournament in 2010, and then the Final Four where they defeated the Michigan State in the national semi-finals, but then lost to the Duke Blue Devils. They won the 2011 Horizon League Tournament, reaching the NCAA Tournament Finals once again, but losing to the Connecticut Huskies.
Brad signed a new contract with the Bulldogs on 8 April 2010, which was to keep him with the team until the year 2022; he was offered a contract by the Illinois Fighting Illini in 2012, and the University of California, Los Angeles’ Bruins in the following year, but Brad rejected both.
NBA
Brad became the new head coach of the Boston Celtics on 3 July 2013, and led them to the playoffs in 2015, and again to the playoffs in the following year.
His contract was extended on 1 June 2016, and he and the Celtics reached the playoffs again in 2017, playing in the Eastern Conference Finals but losing to Cleveland Cavaliers. In the 2017-2018 season, the Celtics won 55 of their 82 games, reaching the playoffs but losing in the Eastern Conference Finals to the Cavaliers.
Quitting coaching
Brad coached the Celtics until 2 June 2021, when he replaced Danny Ainge as their president of basketball operations; he hired Ime Udoka as the Celtics’ head coach on 23 June 2021, and they went on reach the 2022 NBA Finals, losing to the Golden State Warriors.
On 16 February 2023, Brad replaced Ime with Joe Mazzulla.
Love life and wife
Brad prefers not to speak about his love life in public, but has allowed his fans to have a glimpse into it. He and Tracy (nee Wilhelmy) met while they were both attending DePauw University; she was also an athlete, playing soccer for the university, and graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in 1999. Tracy graduated with a Master’s degree in law in 2002, and she and Brad married in August 2003; she’s today working as an employment and labor attorney, and is also Brad’s agent.
Tracy’s mother died from cancer in June 2004, and she and Brad then became involved with the charity organization Coaches Vs. Cancer.
Tracy gave birth to their son Brady Stevens in 2007, and to their daughter Kinsley Stevens in 2010.
Brad hasn’t mentioned the girls whom he had perhaps dated before he met Tracy, he’s married to Tracy Stevens as of April 2023, and they have two children together.
Interesting facts and hobbies
Brad’s active on Instagram, and has posted 43 pictures onto the social media network, however, he’s only followed by 165 people.
He’s been to every US state, mostly thanks to his career as a basketball coach, while he’s also vacationed in several European countries together with his wife Tracy; Brad’s favorite city to travel to is Miami, Florida.
He’s a lover of animals, and his favorite are turtles and dogs.
Brad’s a fan of rock ‘n’ roll bands AC/DC and Aerosmith.
His favorite actress is Scarlett Johansson, and some of his favorite movies include “Ghost in the Shell”, “Don Jon” and “Lost in Translation”.
Height, eyes and wealth
Brad’s age is 46. His hair and eyes are brown, he’s 6ft 1in (1.85m) tall and weighs around 180lbs (82kgs).
Brad’s net worth’s been estimated at over $6 million, as of April 2023.
