UCF men’s basketball head coach Donnie Jones announced the hiring of long-time NBA assistant coach Tom Sterner as the Knights’ Director of Program Development in August of 2015.
Before joining UCF, Sterner spent the previous 25 years working on the coaching staffs of the NBA’s Orlando Magic, Golden State Warriors, Dallas Mavericks, Philadelphia 76ers and Toronto Raptors.
During his time in the NBA he worked under great coaches like Chuck Daly, Doc Rivers, Rick Carlisle, Brian Hill, Dwane Casey, Matt Guokas and Eric Musselman. Sterner has also had the pleasure of coaching some legendary players in Shaquille O’Neal, Dirk Nowitzki, Grant Hill, Jason Kidd and Tracy McGrady.
After coaching high school basketball from 1981-87, and a stint with NCAA Division III’s Franklin and Marshall from 1987-90, Sterner began his career in the NBA with then newly formed Orlando Magic in 1990. After starting as a video coordinator under Guokas, he became an assistant coach on Hill’s staff in 1994. That season the Magic finished the season 57-25, won the Eastern Conference Championship and lost to the Houston Rockets in the NBA Finals.
Sterner continued as an assistant with the Magic with time spent under Daly (1997-99) and Rivers (1999-02) before moving on to a position with the Golden State Warriors. He worked under Musselman on the Warriors staff from 2002-04 before returning for his second assignment with the Magic.
Following another two seasons under Hill with the Magic, Sterner accepted a position on the Dallas Mavericks’ staff working with Carlisle. The Mavs reached the playoffs in both 2008-09 and 2009-10 with Sterner on staff, finishing the latter campaign 55-27 to win the Southwest Division.
A season working as a scout for the Philadelphia 76ers was next for Sterner, who then got right back into coaching, accepting an assistant position on Casey’s staff in Toronto. Sterner helped Casey lead the Raptors back to relative prominence, winning the Atlantic Division and earning a playoff berth in both 2013-14 and 2014-15.
Sterner, who earned his bachelor’s degree from Millersville University in 1978 and master’s from Temple in 1990, lives in Orlando. He and his wife Marcia have two daughters; Malorie and Paige.