College - West Texas State
ASSISTANT COACH

Cheeks enters his fourth season with Oklahoma City after spending three-plus seasons (2005-08) as head coach of the Philadelphia 76ers.

Cheeks brings more than 30 years of NBA experience to the Thunder bench including seven-plus seasons as a head coach with Portland and Philadelphia. As an NBA head coach, Cheeks compiled a 284-286 (.498) record.

Prior to joining the Sixers, Cheeks spent three-plus seasons as head coach of the Portland Trail Blazers (2001-05). During his time in Portland, he posted a 162-139 (.538) mark, accounting for the fourth-highest win total in Blazers coaching history. He helped the Blazers reach the NBA Playoffs twice, and his 2002-03 squad tied for second in the Pacific Division with a 50-32 record.

Before joining Portland in 2001, Cheeks spent seven seasons as an assistant coach for the Sixers, working under head coaches John Lucas (1994-96), Johnny Davis (1996-97), and Larry Brown (1997-2001). In 2000-01 under Brown, Cheeks helped guide the 76ers to a record of 56-26 (.683) and a spot in the NBA Finals.

Cheeks played 15 seasons in the NBA, the first 11 with Philadelphia, before stints with San Antonio, New York, Atlanta and New Jersey. He was selected to the NBA’s All-Defensive Team five times (First Team: 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986; Second Team: 1987) and played in four All-Star games (1983, 1986, 1987, 1988). He was a member of 76ers 1983 World Championship team. In addition, Cheeks is one of seven former Sixers players to have his number retired by the club (No. 10).

As an NBA player, Cheeks compiled career averages of 11.1 ppg, 6.7 apg and 2.1 spg in 1,101 games over 15 seasons while shooting .523 from the field and .793 from the free-throw line.

A native of Chicago, he began his coaching career with the Quad City Thunder of the CBA. In his only season with Quad City, Cheeks helped guide the club to the CBA Championship.

The 1978 West Texas State (currently West Texas A&M) graduate was a four-year starter and three-time MVP in college. He finished his collegiate career third on the Buffs’ all-time scoring list, averaging 16.8 points per game while shooting 56.8 percent from the field as a senior. Cheeks was selected in the second round of the 1978 NBA Draft (36th overall by the Sixers).