Nate Tibbetts

{{Infobox basketball biography

| name = Nate Tibbetts

| image = Nate Tibbetts 2024 (cropped).jpg

| caption = Tibbetts with the Phoenix Mercury in 2024

| alt =

| team = Phoenix Mercury

| position = Head coach

| league = WNBA

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1977|5|15}}

| birth_place = Sioux Falls, South Dakota, U.S.

| height_ft = 6

| height_in = 1

| weight_lb = 180

| high_school = Jefferson
(Jefferson, South Dakota)
Roosevelt
(Sioux Falls, South Dakota)

| college = South Dakota (1996–2001)

| coach_start = 2001

| coach_end =

| cyears1 = 2001–2005

| cteam1 = Sioux Falls (assistant)

| cyears2 = 2005–2007

| cteam2 = Sioux Falls Skyforce (assistant)

| cyears3 = 2007–2009

| cteam3 = Sioux Falls Skyforce

| cyears4 = 2009–2011

| cteam4 = Tulsa 66ers

| cyears5 = 2011–2013

| cteam5 = Cleveland Cavaliers (assistant)

| cyears6 = 2013–2021

| cteam6 = Portland Trail Blazers (assistant)

| cyears7 = 2021–2023

| cteam7 = Orlando Magic (assistant)

| cyears8 = 2024–present

| cteam8 = Phoenix Mercury

| highlights =

}}

Nate Tibbetts (born May 15, 1977) is an American basketball coach who is the current head coach of the Phoenix Mercury of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA).

Early life

Tibbetts is the son of girls high school basketball coach Fred Tibbetts.{{Cite news|url=https://www.argusleader.com/story/sports/2018/05/18/former-south-dakota-and-roosevelt-great-nate-tibbetts-making-impact-nba/620541002/|newspaper=Argus-Leader|title=Breaks of the game: Tibbetts builds coaching resume, seeks next NBA step|date=May 18, 2018|author=Garry, Mick}} He grew up in Jefferson, South Dakota, and attended high school there before transferring to Roosevelt High School in Sioux Falls as a junior.{{Cite web|url=https://mercury.wnba.com/news/phoenix-mercury-name-nate-tibbetts-head-coach/|publisher=Phoenix Mercury|date=October 18, 2023|title=PHOENIX MERCURY NAME NATE TIBBETTS HEAD COACH}}{{Cite web|date=January 11, 2022|author=Wek, Nate|url=https://www.sdpb.org/blogs/sports-and-leisure/in-play-with-craig-mattick-nate-tibbetts/|publisher=South Dakota Public Broadcasting|title= In Play with Craig Mattick: Nate Tibbetts }} A {{convert|6|ft|1|in}}, {{convert|180|lb|kg}} point guard, he led the basketball team at Roosevelt to a third-place finish in the state tournament as a senior, when he averaged 11 points and 2.5 rebounds per game and was chosen all-conference and all-state.{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/argus-leader/145806328/|newspaper=Argus-Leader|via=Newspapers.com|date=August 8, 2007|page=17, [https://www.newspapers.com/article/argus-leader/145806400/ 21]|title=Familiar face picked to coach Skyforce|author=Vandrovec, Terry}} {{Open access}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/argus-leader/145807903/|newspaper=Argus-Leader|via=Newspapers.com|date=March 27, 2001|page=13, [https://www.newspapers.com/article/argus-leader/145808027/ 16]|title=Leading the way|author=Garry, Mick}} {{Open access}} He appeared in a total of 46 games at Roosevelt and set the school's all-time assists record, with 366.

Tibbetts enrolled at the University of South Dakota and began playing for the South Dakota Coyotes men's basketball team. He redshirted his first year and then started the final nine games of his redshirt-freshman season. He won the starting job as a sophomore and remained a starter for the rest of his tenure there. The team went 19–8 in the 1997–98 season and Tibbetts helped them win 22 or more games in each of the next three years, which included winning the North Central Conference (NCC) title three seasons in a row.{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/argus-leader/145808467/|newspaper=Argus-Leader|via=Newspapers.com|date=April 11, 2007|page=17, [https://www.newspapers.com/article/argus-leader/145808539/ 23]|title='Mr. Everything'|author=Vandrovec, Terry}} {{Open access}}{{Cite web|url=https://goyotes.com/honors/coyote-sports-hall-of-fame/nate-tibbetts/2|publisher=South Dakota Coyotes|title=Nate Tibbetts (2014)}} He was an All-NCC selection and All-NCC Tournament choice in his senior year and ended his collegiate career with averages of 5.1 points and 2.9 rebounds per game; he also averaged 6.5 assists in conference play and placed second in school history in career assists (678) and steals (215). He was named the Argus-Leader Player of the Year as a senior and was inducted into the South Dakota Coyotes Hall of Fame in 2014.

Coaching career

Tibbetts began his coaching career after he graduated from the University of South Dakota in 2001, becoming an assistant for the Sioux Falls Cougars of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA).{{Cite news|url=https://www.argusleader.com/story/sports/college/university-of-south-dakota/2018/04/30/nate-tibbetts-serious-candidate-atlanta-hawks-job/564248002/|newspaper=Argus-Leader|title=Nate Tibbetts a 'serious candidate' for Atlanta Hawks job|date=April 30, 2018|author=Klinski, Michael}} He spent four seasons in that role and helped them win 20 or more games each year, including 26 in 2003–04. He then became an assistant coach for the Sioux Falls Skyforce, of the NBA D-League, starting with the 2005–06 season.{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-daily-oklahoman/145809759/|newspaper=The Daily Oklahoman|via=Newspapers.com|date=October 18, 2020|page=B2|title=Five things to know about Nate Tibbetts|author=Mussatto, Joe}} {{Open access}} Following two seasons, in which the team went 32–19 and 29–19, Tibbetts was promoted to head coach in 2007. He served two seasons in that position and compiled a record of 53–47 with a playoff appearance.{{Cite web|url=https://www.nba.com/thunder/news/release_090507.html|publisher=National Basketball Association|title=Thunder Name Nate Tibbetts Head Coach of Tulsa 66ers|date=May 7, 2009}}

In 2009, Tibbetts left the Skyforce for the head job with the Tulsa 66ers. He served two seasons there and went 64–41 while reaching the playoffs both years. In 2011, he also served as the head coach of Team USA at the Pan American Games.{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/argus-leader/145811327/|newspaper=Argus-Leader|via=Newspapers.com|date=October 12, 2011|page=24|title=Tibbetts set to lead U.S. team at Pan American Games}} {{Open access}} He joined the Cleveland Cavaliers of the National Basketball Association (NBA) in the 2011–12 season as assistant coach.{{Cite web|url=https://www.cleveland.com/cavs/2019/04/cleveland-cavaliers-coaching-search-nate-tibbetts-becky-hammon-and-who-knows-terry-pluto.html|website=Cleveland.com|title=Cleveland Cavaliers coaching search: Nate Tibbetts, Becky Hammon and who knows?|date=April 12, 2019|author=Pluto, Terry}} He left to become an assistant with the Portland Trail Blazers in 2013.{{Cite web|url=https://www.oregonlive.com/blazers/2013/05/trail_blazers_new_assistant_nate_tibbetts_gets_an.html|website=OregonLive.com|title=Trail Blazers new assistant Nate Tibbetts gets an early birthday present|date=May 14, 2013|author=Quick, Jason}} He served with the Trail Blazers from 2013 to 2021, which including being the associate head coach from 2019 to 2021.{{Cite web|url=https://www.cleveland.com/sports/2023/10/nate-tibbetts-ex-cavaliers-assistant-finalizing-deal-to-become-wnbas-highest-paid-coach.html|website=Cleveland.com|title=Nate Tibbetts, ex-Cavaliers assistant, finalizing deal to become WNBA’s highest-paid coach|author=Mentz, Zach|date=October 17, 2023}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.portlandtribune.com/sports/blazers-tibbetts-moves-up-the-ranks/article_88989970-edd4-518c-ab38-0305206a1cc1.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240421230703/https://www.portlandtribune.com/sports/blazers-tibbetts-moves-up-the-ranks/article_88989970-edd4-518c-ab38-0305206a1cc1.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=April 21, 2024|newspaper=Portland Trail Blazers|title=Blazers' Tibbetts moves up the ranks|author=Eggers, Kerry|date=August 27, 2019}} During his stint at Portland, he was interviewed several times for vacant head coaching positions, including with the Memphis Grizzlies, Atlanta Hawks and Cleveland Cavaliers.{{Cite news|url=https://archive.commercialappeal.com/sports/grizzlies-interview-portland-assistant-nate-tibbetts-source-says-332450ff-2292-41d1-e053-0100007f2e0-380004951.html/|newspaper=The Commercial Appeal|title=Grizzlies interview Portland assistant Nate Tibbetts, source says|author=Tillery, Ronald|date=May 18, 2016}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.si.com/nba/cavaliers/nba/cavaliers/nba-amico/hawks-receive-permission-to-interview-blazers-tibbetts|website=Sports Illustrated|title=Hawks receive permission to interview Blazers' Tibbetts|date=April 27, 2018|author=Amico, Sam}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.cleveland.com/cavs/2019/04/cavaliers-gain-permission-to-interview-trail-blazers-assistants-nate-tibbetts-david-vanterpool-report.html|website=Cleveland.com|title=Cavaliers gain permission to interview Trail Blazers assistants Nate Tibbetts, David Vanterpool: Report|date=April 23, 2019|author=Bielik, Tim}} He became an assistant with the Orlando Magic in 2021.{{Cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/4968816/2023/10/16/phoenix-mercury-nate-tibbetts-head-coach-hire/|website=The Athletic|title=Mercury to hire Magic assistant Nate Tibbetts to largest coaching contract in WNBA history: Source|date=October 16, 2023|author=Pickman, Ben}}

In October 2023, Tibbetts was announced as the new head coach of the Phoenix Mercury of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA), becoming the highest-paid coach in WNBA history.{{Cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/wnba/story/_/id/38675219/magic-nate-tibbetts-becomes-new-mercury-coach|publisher=ESPN|title=Magic's Nate Tibbetts becomes new Mercury coach|author=Wojnarowski, Adrian|date=October 16, 2023}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.cbssports.com/wnba/news/phoenix-mercury-to-hire-nate-tibbetts-make-him-highest-paid-head-coach-in-wnba-history-per-report/|publisher=CBS Sports|title=Phoenix Mercury to hire Nate Tibbetts, make him highest paid head coach in WNBA history, per report |author=Maloney, Jack|date=October 17, 2023}}