RIVERDALE, N.Y. - Gordon Chiesa, a former Manhattan College head men's basketball coach and veteran NBA assistant coach, returned to his roots at Draddy Gymnasium on Tuesday.
Chiesa hosted his annual coaches' clinic, which included a number of local high school and college coaches who shared tips on Xs and Os along with best practices on coaching young basketball players.
The head coach at Manhattan from 1981-85, Chiesa coached on Rick Pitino's staff at Providence College when the Friars reached the NCAA Final Four in 1987 as a #6 seed, defeating the top-seeded Georgetown Hoyas along the way. On Pitino's staff was Chiesa, former NBA head coaches Stu Jackson and Jeff Van Gundy and current Arizona State head coach Herb Sendek.
Chiesa was a long-time assistant coach with the Utah Jazz, alongside Jerry Sloan for 16 seasons, from 1989 to 2005. During that time, they helped guide the Jazz to 14 consecutive postseason appearances. Chiesa has also served as an assistant coach with the Nets, SuperSonics and Grizzlies and was the Grizzlies' director of pro scouting. He currently serves as a special consultant to Orlando Magic head coach Jacque Vaughn.
