University of Michigan Head Coach John Beilein and the Cleveland Cavaliers have agreed to terms on a multi-year contract for Beilein to become the team’s next head coach, Cleveland announced on Monday.
According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, it’s a five-year deal.
“We conducted a deep and thorough search to find the best possible candidate for the next head coach of the Cleveland Cavaliers. We interviewed several strong and talented candidates who, no doubt, will get an opportunity to become an NBA head coach somewhere down the line,” said Cavaliers GM Toby Altman. “Following the end of those interviews, it became clear to us that Coach Beilein was the right choice and best fit for our franchise.”
Cleveland Cavaliers Chairman Dan Gilbert believes that Beilein is a proven winner.
“We could not be more thrilled to name John Beilein as the new coach of the Cleveland Cavaliers,” said Gilbert. “First, John is a great human being. He cares deeply about his players and others who work for him and around him. He defines the words class, integrity and character. He is a tireless worker who obsesses about finding better ways and the inches that will help his team and the organization grow. John is a brilliant basketball mind and last but not least, John Beilein is a winner.”
Beilein, 66, has compiled a career record of 829-468 (.639) as a collegiate head coach. He has recorded 20-plus win seasons on 23 occasions and has finished with a winning record in 35 seasons, placing him in the top 10 for career victories among active NCAA Division I head coaches. He took Michigan to the Final Four and a pair of National Championship Game appearances in 2013 and 2018, with the trip to the title game in 2013 being the first in 20 years for the school. In 12 seasons at Michigan, Beilein became the winningest coach in school history.
“I am very thankful to Dan Gilbert and Koby Altman and honored to be the head coach of the Cavalier,” Beilein said. “I love the position the team is in to build and grow and this was something I felt was the perfect fit for me. With hard work and dedication by all of us, we will grow this team day by day and reinforce a culture of success that sustains itself with strong core values. Cleveland is a great city with amazing fans and I am really looking forward to calling Cleveland home for years to come.”
It’s a very interesting hire for the Cavaliers, especially when you consider Beilein’s age and the number of young guys that are on Cleveland’s roster. The Cavaliers probably will not be a winner anytime soon. Therefore, will Beilein be around when the team actually starts winning again? Unlikely, but anything is possible.
