NBA Assistant Coach Salary- Find More About It

Introduction:

The National Basketball Association, founded in the year 1946, is the largest basketball league in the world and comprises 30 teams, of which 29 are from the United States and 1 from Canada. Initially begun as the Basketball Association of America (BAA) in New York City, the league has grown to be the premier men’s basketball league and attracts top players from all over the world. The regular NBA season generally runs from October to April, with the playoffs often extending up to the month of June. As of 2021, the NBA athletes are the highest-paid athletes all over the world by average, and they earn way more than even their nearest competitors. The NBA is a part of the Top 4 professional leagues in the US. Let us know more detail about ‘NBA Assistant Coach Salary’.

NBA Assistant Coach Salary:

It is really difficult to put an exact figure on the salary of an assistant coach at the NBA, as they are forbidden to disclose their salaries to anyone. But our research suggests that assistant coaches in the NBA make around $40,000 annually. The salary earned by an assistant coach would also depend on the experience of a coach and the name one has been able to make for oneself as an assistant coach.

As already mentioned, it is really difficult to know the exact figures which are being made by NBA Assistant Coaches. In this section, we shall be taking a look at the average, lowest, and highest Salary made by NBA coaches in general.

1. Average: According to reports available in the public domain, an average NBA assistant coach earns around $39226 annually. This comes down to the rate of around $18 per hour. Though the number may not seem to be that high, one thing which needs to be kept in mind is that any assistant coach takes up the job with the ambition of being the head coach of a team someday, and the salaries offered to the head coach at any NBA team is quite lucrative, to say the least.
2. Lowest: The least ranking NBA coaches earn around $25000 per year. There can be a number of reasons behind one getting paid so low. One’s lack of experience at the highest level of basketball can cause them to be paid such low amounts, but there might also be other reasons such as lack of team funds, underwhelming results, etc.
3. Highest: The higher-rated assistant coaches at the NBA can make as much as $61000 per year. These numbers are quite high for the role of an assistant coach and an indication of the trust a team has in the capabilities of the coach appointed by them.

Duties of an NBA assistant coach:

The assistant coaches at an NBA team are assigned a host of responsibilities that they are expected to perform while serving at their position. In this list, we shall be taking a look at some of the most important roles and responsibilities of an NBA assistant coach. 

1. Scouting and recruiting new talents for the team: This is, perhaps, the most important role of an assistant coach. Wherever one serves as the assistant coach, the person is entrusted with the duty of bringing in talented players to the squad. The head coach may not always have enough time to stay updated on new, upcoming players and as such, the recruiting process and its procedures all need to be maintained by the assistant coaches. Assistant coaches need to maintain a proper relationship and communication between all the parties involved, which would facilitate the intake process of the new players.
2. Consistent presence: Another important duty of the assistant coach is to be present at all times and give the image of being easily accessible. This makes it easier for all the players to approach the coaches at times when they are facing any difficulties. The assistant coach must always be present in team meetings and matches and lay down proper orders for each of the players. It is also the duty of the assistant coach to remind everyone in the group about what is expected from them and to help the players achieve their goals.
3. Reviewing previous games and moves: Assistant coaches have to assist the head coach at all times and help the latter in developing strategies and ideas. In order for this to happen, they need to take a close look at their previous games and analyze the mistakes which were made. Then, an appropriate solution needs to be found. The same thing applies to the practice sessions of the team too. The assistant coaches need to keep tabs on every player out there and point out any mistake which they notice. Thus, it is very important for the assistant coach to practice in every training session.
4. Game preparation: This is an extension of the previous point, in the sense that the assistant coaches sit together with the head coach to chalk out a plan for the next game. The head coach has the main say in this topic but the assistant coach can let his seniors know if he has any particular plan in mind which may prove to be beneficial for the team. It is also the responsibility of the assistant coach to communicate the tactics to each player of the team and make them aware of exactly what is expected of them in a particular situation. 

Factors that determine the salary of an NBA assistant coach:

We have already seen that there is a vast disparity in the payments between a top-level assistant coach and those at the lower levels. There are a number of reasons which determine their salary:

1. Experience: This is the most important factor in the career of a coach in the NBA. Higher the experience, higher are the chances of someone being appointed as the head coach of a top team. It is only obvious that the payments received by the top coaches are quite extraordinary at times (sometimes, being as high as $6-7 million). The more the experience as a coach, the more will the person be expected to know about the nuances of the game, and how to react in a particular situation.
2. Skills: The coach needs to prove that he is able to bring the best out of every player in every position. A track record of success is bound to catch the attention of the big NBA teams, who might be tempted to bring the successful coach onboard. Proper managerial and communication skills go a long way in determining how much a coach can progress.
3. Education: It is desirable that a coach has completed his studies in a field related to basketball or sports, in general. A highly skilled coach with a decent education background is valued much more highly than others, and the education of an assistant coach also has a major say in how much of a salary one will earn.
4. Effective man-management: Assistant coaches are entrusted with the responsibility of communicating the decisions of the management to the players. It is also their duty to ensure that every player is aware of what their roles are in the team and what exactly the head coach expects from each of them. 

Conclusion:

In this article, Now we have learnt ‘NBA Assistant Coach Salary’, we have seen the salaries of an NBA assistant coach and what is expected of them in their position. While the payments may not be that high, it is quite reasonable. One needs to remember that anyone applying for the post of assistant coach has the ultimate ambition of becoming a head coach of an NBA team someday, a job that pays in millions. The experience which one makes while at the position is extremely important for further advancement in one’s career. If anyone loves the sport and wants to make a career in basketball, taking up the job of a coach might be one of the best ways to fulfill his/her dream. 

Frequently Asked Questions:

We took a look at the most asked questions on the web about the NBA and its coaches. In this section, we have compiled some of the most important questions along with the appropriate answers.

• Question. Who is the highest-paid assistant coach in the NBA?

Jason Kidd signed a contract with the Lakers in 2019 that made him the highest-paid assistant coach in the history of the NBA. His $6.5 million contract ran for a period of 4 years and was a reflection of how highly he was valued by the Lakers. Many journalists at the time criticized the insane amount of money the NBA team had spent on an assistant coach. The Lakers valued him so highly that they even had to change their consideration of the choice of head coach in order to keep hold of Jason Kidd.

However, it is interesting to note that, in spite of the high amount being paid to him, Kidd, at the time of being hired, had not done anything special to earn him such accolades from the Lakers. There were even instances at his previous coaching tenures where he had been accused of dated thinking procedures, interpersonal issues with other staff, etc. 

• Question. How many of the assistant coaches at the NBA are black?

In the NBA, there have been a few reports and debates about why the number of Black head coaches has always been very low. It was never that there was a scarcity of talent. At present, only about 20% of the head coaches at the NBA teams are black. However, this situation seems to be changing for the better. Recently, a large number of black assistant coaches have joined the teams who are highly regarded at their occupation and many pundits have predicted a bright future for quite a few of these people. Nearly 50% of the assistant coaches are black in the present-day competition, and it would not be a surprise to see a few of these faces as the head coach in the coming days.

• Question. How to become an NBA coach?

In order to be considered for the position of a coach in an NBA team, it is a must for the person to have a bachelor’s degree in any field related to sports medicine, physiology, exercise science, or Kinesiology. A person may be successful in trying to be a coach by graduating in other subjects too, but the chances become much slimmer. The candidate needs to have an acute knowledge of the game of basketball and its rules, good managerial skills, tactical acumen, and have excellent communication skills so as to convey his ideas to the team members. The coach needs to be that person to whom everyone looks up to and who is available for all the players in their low and high periods. 

One needs to have acquired the International License or the Gold Coach License, and working as an assistant coach at any of the NBA teams is also a must before one can earn the big call-up. The salaries earned by top NBA coaches are very lucrative, with some making up to $5 million annually.

• Question. What is the difference between a head coach and an assistant coach in the NBA?

There is a fine line of difference between the responsibilities of the head coach and assistant coaches in the NBA. The head coach is generally concerned more with the bigger picture and can be considered to be a generalist, in this sense. On the other hand, the assistant coaches are instructed by the head coach and are more concerned with specific attributes of the game. As such, they can be considered to be more of a specialist. The assistant coach’s main duty is to assist the head coach at all times and give them an idea which the former might have in mind. However, the decision to implement the ideas rests solely upon the head coach. It is no wonder that it is the dream of every assistant coach to take up the position of a head coach someday.