David Blatt is a former professional basketball player and coach, as well as a current basketball executive. He played for Princeton University from 1977 to 1981 and then played professionally in Israel for nine of the next twelve years. After suffering an injury, he began coaching and quickly became one of the most successful Israeli-American coaches in European basketball history. He has won numerous awards, including Israeli Super League Coach of the Year four times, Russian Super League Coach of the Year, and EuroLeague Coach of the Year. He is married to his wife, Kinneret Blatt.
Blatt’s coaching career took a turn when he was hired as the head coach of the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2014. He led the team to the NBA Finals in his first season, and the top of their conference the following year. However, he was fired mid-season in 2016 and returned to coaching in Europe. Blatt’s basketball career has been highly successful and he has made a significant impact in both the United States and Europe.
Who are the Parents of David Blatt?
David Blatt, a Jewish individual, was born on May 22, 1959, with the birth name David Michael Blatt. His parents were William F. Blatt, an inventor who passed away in 2014, and Lillian (Siegal) Blatt, who passed away in 1997. Blatt was born in Louisville, Kentucky, but grew up in Framingham, Massachusetts. He grew up with his four siblings. As an American citizen, his ethnicity is American-White, and he turned 63 years old in 2022. He follows the Christian religion, although he attended a Reform Temple and Hebrew school twice a week until his Bar Mitzvah.
During his sophomore year at Princeton, Blatt was recruited by a coach for an Israeli kibbutz team to play basketball in Israel for the summer, which became a life-changing experience for him. He earned a B.A. in English literature from Princeton in 1981 and wrote his senior thesis on Bernard Malamud, the author of The Natural. Blatt then moved to Israel and served in the Israel Defense Forces at the Schneller military base. In 1991, he married Kineret, a former Israeli professional basketball player he coached. They have four children, including Tamir Blatt, who played for several Israeli basketball teams. Blatt was chosen to light a torch at the beacon lighting ceremony on Mount Herzl in 2023, in honor of the 75th year of the State of Israel.
How was the Career of David Blatt?
- David Blatt, a former American basketball player, and coach, began his basketball journey at Framingham South High School, where he was not only a player but also class president. After that, he played college basketball at Princeton University for four years from 1977 to 1981. While at Princeton, Blatt was team captain under coach Pete Carril. Besides, Blatt won a gold medal at the 1981 Maccabiah Games as part of the USA national team. After his success at the Maccabiah Games, he began his professional career in Israel’s Super League, where he played for 9 of the next 12 years. However, an injury put an end to his playing career, and he shifted his focus to coaching full-time.
- David had a successful coaching career in basketball after retiring as a player. He began as assistant manager for Hapoel Galil Elyon and took over as head coach in the middle of the 1993-94 season. He became Pini Gershon’s assistant for the 1994-95 season and won the Israeli Coach of the Year title in 1996. Blatt also coached the Russian national basketball team for six years, winning the EuroBasket 2007. Blatt returned to coach Galil Elyon and served as the assistant manager of the Israeli National Team from 1997 to 1999. During his time with Galil Elyon, he assisted Pini Gershon in relaying directions during live broadcasts on national television of timeouts of their rivals in the Israeli league finals series games.
- He moved to Maccabi Tel Aviv as an assistant coach for the 1999-2000 season and won both the Israeli League and Israeli Cup. Blatt continued as an assistant coach under Pini Gershon and helped recruit foreign players such as Anthony Parker and Maceo Baston. During that time, Maccabi won one EuroLeague title, reached the EuroLeague Final Four, and reached the final stage of the Adriatic League. Blatt won the title of Israeli “Coach of the Year” for the second time in 2002 when he was appointed head coach of Maccabi Tel Aviv. In the 2003-04 season, he agreed to be demoted to assistant coach once again when Pini Gershon came back to the head coach position. Together they led Maccabi Tel Aviv to another EuroLeague title with a 44-point win in the final, as well as to the Israeli Championship and the Israeli Cup.
- Blatt won the FIBA EuroCup championship with Dynamo Saint Petersburg in 2004 and the title of “Coach of the Year in Russia” (2004–05 season). He became the head coach of Benetton Treviso of the Italian league and led them to the Italian Championship with a 3–1 victory in the final series of the Italian playoffs. Blatt was also appointed the head coach of the Russian national basketball team and won the EuroBasket 2007 in a final game against the reigning world champions and home team of Spain, by a score of 60–59. At the beginning of the 2007–08 season, Blatt was appointed as a head coach of the Istanbul-based Turkish Super League team Efes Pilsen but parted ways with the team on April 6, 2008, due to poor results over the season.
- Blatt was appointed head coach of Dynamo Moscow in 2008 after Ettore Messina announced he would be leaving CSKA Moscow. After requesting to leave the team, Blatt parted ways with Dynamo Moscow despite being under contract for two seasons. He later served as head coach of the Greek League club Aris before moving on to coach Maccabi Tel Aviv once again in 2010. Blatt led the Russian national team to win a bronze medal in the 2012 Summer Olympics and also led Maccabi Tel Aviv to win the EuroLeague championship in 2014 after an amazing comeback against CSKA Moscow in the semifinal game. He compiled an overall record of 269-73 in his six seasons as Maccabi’s head coach, with a career coaching record of 121-81 in the EuroLeague with Maccabi, Treviso, and Efes. In June 2014, after his contract ended, Blatt left Maccabi to seek an NBA coaching position.
- On 20th June 2014, he was hired as the head coach of the Cleveland Cavaliers on June 20, 2014, and was named the EuroLeague Coach of the Year. During his first season, he led the team to their first Eastern Conference title since 2007, with a record of 53-29, and a .639 winning percentage, the best of any Cavaliers coach in team history at that time. However, Blatt was fired on January 22, 2016, despite the Cavaliers having the best record in their conference, with a record of 30-11. Blatt was replaced by his lead assistant Tyronn Lue, who guided the Cavaliers to their first NBA championship that season. Despite not being the coach during the championship run, Blatt was offered a championship ring by the Cavaliers, which he initially declined but later accepted.
- David Blatt returned to Europe on June 1, 2016, as the new head coach for Darüşşafaka of the Turkish Super League and the EuroLeague. In his first season, he led the team to the EuroLeague quarterfinals and a semifinal elimination in the Turkish Super League. In his second season, he won the 2018 EuroCup Championship, becoming only the second coach in history to win the Euroleague, EuroBasket, EuroCup, and Olympic medals. On June 27, 2018, he was named the head coach for Olympiacos of the Greek Basket League and the EuroLeague, where he signed a two-year contract. However, Blatt parted ways with Olympiacos on October 6, 2019, after one season, due to his diagnosis with PPMS, which is a degenerative condition that will affect him for the rest of his life.
- Blatt declared his retirement from coaching on December 18, 2019, following his appointment as a consultant by the New York Knicks. However, his contract was not extended after the 2019-2020 season. On May 28, 2020, he acquired co-ownership of Czech basketball club BC Brno through the Israeli firm True Player Group, which is 50% owned by the Blatt family.
David Blatt Awards and Achievements
As head coach:
- EuroLeague champion (2014)
- EuroLeague Coach of the Year (2014)
- EuroCup champion (2018)
- FIBA EuroChallenge champion (2005)
- Italian League champion (2006)
- Italian Cup winner (2007)
- Adriatic League champion (2012)
- Russian Super League Coach of the Year (2005)
- 5× Israeli Super League champion (2002, 2003, 2011, 2012, 2014)
- 6× Israeli Cup winner (2002, 2003, 2011–2014)
- 4× Israeli Super League Coach of the Year (1996, 2002, 2011, 2014)
- Russian Federation Order of Friendship Award recipient (2014)
As an assistant coach:
- 4x Israeli Basketball League champion (1993, 1999–2001)
- 3x Israeli Cup champion (1999–2001)
- SuproLeague champion (2001)
- EuroLeague champion (2004)Awards and Achievements
How much is David Blatt’s net worth?
David Blatt is a successful Israeli American basketball executive, former player, and coach with an impressive net worth of $9 million. He has earned a considerable amount of money from his successful career in basketball, making millions of dollars annually. His hard work and dedication to the sport have paid off, allowing him to enjoy a comfortable and luxurious lifestyle. Despite his wealth, Blatt remains grounded and focused on his passion for basketball. His primary source of wealth comes from the sports industry.
Blatt’s net worth has allowed him to enjoy the finer things in life, from luxurious vacations to high-end cars and a beautiful home. His successful career has given him financial security, allowing him to live his life to the fullest. He is grateful for his success and continues to inspire and motivate young basketball players around the world.
Who is David Blatt married to?
David Blatt is happily married to his wife, Kinneret Blatt, and the couple is living a blissful life together. They are proud parents of their son, Tamir Blatt, Shani Blatt, and Ela Blatt. Tamir is an Israeli professional basketball player for Alba Berlin of the German Basketball Bundesliga. David Blatt is known to keep his personal life private, and there are no reports of any disturbances in their married life. David Blatt identifies as straight, and there is no public information about his previous relationships or dating history.
Tamir Blatt, the son of David and Kinneret Blatt, is following in his father’s footsteps as a professional basketball player. He is currently playing for Alba Berlin in the German Basketball Bundesliga. Tamir was born in 1997 and has already made a name for himself in the basketball world. His proud parents have been supportive of his career and have cheered him on throughout his journey.
How tall is David Blatt?
David Blatt has a slim body type with a height of 6 feet 3 inches (1.91 m) and a weight of 181 pounds (82 kg). He has a handsome appearance and is known for his stylish looks. His hair color is dark brown, which complements his sharp facial features, and his eyes are also dark brown.
Blatt’s physical attributes have played a significant role in his professional career as a basketball player and coach. His tall stature and athletic build have enabled him to perform well on the court, and his sharp looks have also contributed to his overall persona as a public figure. Despite his age, he continues to maintain his physical fitness and looks youthful.
Leave a Reply