Here’s the official statement from Green Bay on the hiring of Doug Gottlieb as their new head men’s basketball coach:
Tuesday afternoon Director of Athletics Josh Moon appointed Doug Gottlieb as the 10th head coach in Green Bay men’s basketball history.
An introductory press conference to announce Gottlieb as the next Phoenix head coach will be held on Wednesday, May 15th at the Kress Events Center at 10 a.m. CT. Tune in to our YouTube page to watch the press conference live.
“It is an honor beyond measure to be named the 10th Men’s Basketball coach in UWGB history. I would like to thank Chancellor Mike Alexander and Josh Moon for this incredible opportunity,” said Gottlieb. “Every kid has a dream growing up, some want to be firefighter, others want to be president, I have always wanted to be a head basketball coach at the Division I level.”
Gottlieb continued, “as a kid who was born at Columbia Hospital and a dad who was, at that time a head coach in the UW system, it is even more amazing to get this opportunity to come back to Wisconsin and live out my dreams. Green Bay Basketball will be a family, and you are all welcome to join the family. Together, we are going to play great basketball, bring positive attention to the Fox Valley and UWGB community and have a heck of a lot of fun doing it. I can’t wait to meet you all and welcome you to the new Phoenix Family. If you need me, I’ll be in the gym. Let’s be great.”
Gottlieb, well-known for his broadcasting career, brings with him a wealth of experience as a player, commentator, analyst, and coach in the basketball world. As a broadcaster, he currently hosts the Doug Gottlieb Show on Fox Sports Radio, and All Ball, a podcast covering the biggest stories across college basketball and the NBA.
“We are thrilled to welcome Doug Gottlieb to be the next Head Coach of our Men’s basketball program,” said UW-Green Bay Chancellor Michael Alexander. “Coach Gottlieb’s energy and passion for the game, desire to mentor our student-athletes, and belief in the people of this region make him a great fit to continue to carry our momentum forward.”
Gottlieb began his college career at Notre Dame where he led his team in assists, steals, and minutes played in his Freshman year. Following his time at Notre Dame, Gottlieb transferred to Golden West College (GWC), where he received an Associate of Arts in business. Gottlieb then went on to find more success at Oklahoma State University under Head Coach Eddie Sutton. In his first season at OSU, Gottlieb was named All-Big 12 honorable mention and conference newcomer of the year, breaking OSU’s single-season assist average. The following season, Gottlieb was named All-Big 12 honorable mention, and led the nation in assists; only the second Cowboy to lead the nation in a statistical category. Capping off what would be a stellar college career at OSU, Gottlieb finished out his Senior season second in the nation in assists, while ultimately leading Oklahoma State to the Elite Eight in the NCAA tournament.
Following his college playing career, Gottlieb went on to a successful professional career with stints all across the globe including the USA, Israel, Russia, and France. Internationally, Gottlieb traveled to Israel and won a gold medal as the MVP for the United States team at the 2001 Maccabiah Games. He would later return to the Maccabiah games as a coach, alongside Bruce Pearl for Team USA at the 2009 Maccabiah Games, as well as the 2017 and 2022 Maccabiah Games, where he helped lead the US to a gold medal in Jerusalem.
“We are thrilled to welcome Doug as the next leader of Phoenix Basketball,” said Director of Athletics Josh Moon. “He has been working towards this moment his entire life – coaching is in his blood and he will help us continue to RISE!”
Gottlieb comes to the Phoenix from a storied basketball family with Wisconsin connections, as his father, Bob Gottlieb, was the head coach of the Milwaukee Panthers men’s basketball team. His coaching pedigree, combined with his esteemed playing career, earned him induction into the Southern California Jewish Sports Hall of Fame in 2011.
Gottlieb took his first steps in his broadcasting career in 2002, co-hosting a midday sports talk show on an Oklahoma City radio station, as well as securing a job to call college basketball games on ESPN and ESPN Regional. Gottlieb continued his broadcasting career with ESPN Radio’s GameNight in 2003, eventually becoming a regular host and filling in on other ESPN shows. He transitioned to TV, contributing to SportsCenter and ESPN/ESPN2 games, while also launching ESPNU. In 2012, Gottlieb made the move over to CBS Sports. There, he co-hosted “Leadoff” and his own show, later transitioning to Fox Sports in 2017, where he hosts “The Doug Gottlieb Show” on Fox Sports Radio and occasionally substitutes for Colin Cowherd on FS1’s “The Herd.”
On the family side, Doug has three children – His daughters, Harper and Grace are 19, and his son Hayes is 15.
WHAT THEY’RE SAYING ABOUT COACH DOUG GOTTLIEB
Tom Izzo – Michigan State Men’s Basketball Coach
“I am so excited when I heard Doug was going to be the next head coach at Green Bay. He has great passion and love for the game. It’s in his blood with his father being a coach himself! Get ready Green Bay, high energy is on the way.”
Shaka Smart – Marquette Men’s Basketball Coach
“Doug Gottlieb will be a terrific coach at UWGB. He will instantly connect with players, recruits, and fans. He possesses terrific basketball know-how, and his infectious passion and energy will make an unmistakable impact on the Horizon League almost immediately. This a tremendous hire.”
Fran McCaffery – Iowa Men’s Basketball Coach
“I’ve recruited, coached and mentored Doug Gottlieb for the last 30 years. Doug has a unique ability to both understand the game and teach it as a broadcaster. As a player his mind was that of a coach, as a broadcaster the same. He has the passion for the players, the game and is going to be amazing with the community building something special in Green Bay.”
Brian Barone – SIUE Men’s Basketball Coach
“Green Bay is bringing a wealth of basketball tenacity of Doug. He has been around the game since the day he was born as coach’s son. I saw firsthand how he was a leader on the floor when I competed against him in college. Over the years I have always respected how Doug had a true passion for the game. He once told me to remember to tell the people that you love WHY you love them and not just THAT you love them. The Green Bay community means so much to my family and I’m excited for him to share that same insight and passion to Green Bay that he shared with me.”
Chris Beard – Ole Miss Men’s Basketball Coach
“Congrats to UW-Green Bay on a great hire. Doug has been around college basketball his whole life in many roles and has always been successful. He was a leader and champion as a player. He will show it again as a head coach. Doug is truly a student of the game and he knows what it takes to achieve excellence. Above all, he is a winner on and off the court.”
Miles Simon – Phoenix Suns Assistant Coach
“Doug is one of the best basketball minds I’ve been around! He can see the game, understand the game and teach the game at a high level. He loves to be around young players and help them grow and develop as people and players!”
Brian Anderson – Sportscaster, TNT and Milwaukee Brewers
“I’ve known Doug Gottlieb for nearly 15 years. We’ve spent many hours together, on and off the air, talking college basketball. I always believed Doug was a college basketball coach. Even as his broadcasting career skyrocketed and his commentary expanded into various topics and sports, he has been, and always will be, a coach. I saw it when he broke down film and practices. I saw it in his interactions with coaches, players and programs we covered together on television, and I saw how he led our production crew on the games we were assigned. I always believed that, just like his father and his brother, Doug did all of that not as a media personality, but as a coach. Kudos to the administration at UW-Green Bay for recognizing the “coach” in Doug Gottlieb. He was born in Wisconsin and now he’s back in Wisconsin, right where he belongs.”
Scott Van Pelt – Sports Media, ESPN
“I’m thrilled for Doug to bring his knowledge of the game as well as his passion for it to the bench. He now only “knows ball”, he’s lived it. He grew up with it and now he can share all that he knows with these young men. I can’t imagine how proud his dad would be. He’s excellent at what he’s done in media – but THIS is what he is meant to do.”
Colin Cowherd – Sports Media, Fox Sports
“Doug always wanted to coach above everything else. That’s his passion and I’m glad he’s pursuing it. He genuinely loves teaching people about the sport, and that’s what it takes to flourish in a competitive business. He’s got energy and enthusiasm about this opportunity. I think it’s a great fit.”
Matt Holliday – Former MLB Star
“I’m thrilled to watch Doug lead a program as head coach. Coaching is something he’s watched his father and brother be very successful at and has always been in his blood. He’s a great communicator and has a vast knowledge of the game from lots of different perspectives. The University of Wisconsin – Green Bay is in great hands and I’m looking forward to getting my Green and White sweatshirt in the mail.”
Spero Dedes – Sportscaster, CBS Sports
“I was lucky enough to work alongside Doug as he became one of the elite TV analysts in the college basketball. But deep down, I always hoped he’d find his way into coaching. Every step of his basketball journey has prepared him for this moment. And for it to happen in Wisconsin, where his pop coached and where Doug was born, makes it even more special. I don’t have a shred of doubt that Doug’s going to be a massively successful as a coach.”
Dan Dakich – Sportscaster, Outkick
“Congratulations UWGB on the best coaching hire of the college basketball offseason. Doug Gottlieb has an unbelievable and personality that will quickly make UWGB a force on the national college basketball scene.”
