Around the League

Mike’s Take

Ukrainian by way of New Jersey

LEFT: Fratello as Hawks coach; RIGHT: Alexander “Sasha” Volkov playing for the Hawks.
(Focus on Sport/Getty Images and Rick Stewart /Allsport)

Mike Fratello’s ties to the former Soviet republic now under Russian attack stretch back to his days as Alexander Volkov’s first NBA coach in the 1980s. They only got deeper from there.

Click here to read Marc Stein’s (The Stein Line) account of how Coach Fratello came to coach Ukraine’s national team.

Mike Looks Back

Bally Sports South’s Kelly Crull caught up with former Atlanta Hawks coach Mike Fratello about coaching Dominique Wilkins.

USA Basketball

Coaches Corner: Mike Fratello

In his USA Basketball coaching debut as head coach of the USA Men’s National Team that competed in the February 2020 FIBA AmeriCup qualifying games, Mike Fratello led his team to two wins against Puerto Rico.

Fratello, who currently is an analyst for NBA TV and for nationally televised games on TNT, served as an NBA head coach for 17 seasons, including stints with the Atlanta Hawks, Cleveland Cavaliers and Memphis Grizzlies.  

Boasting of an NBA career regular-season record of 667-548 for a .549 winning percentage, he led teams to the NBA playoffs in 11 of his 15 full seasons as a head coach. He ranks 20th in all-time NBA regular season wins (667) and 21st in games coached (1,215).

USA Basketball spoke with Fratello to get his insight and perspective on coaching. Click here to read the interview.