The 2022-23 season marks the second for Michael Curry Sr. as an associate head coach with the Vanderbilt men’s basketball program.
A former head coach for the Detroit Pistons and Florida Atlantic University, Curry brought to West End more than 20 years of basketball experience as a coach, player and front-office executive.
In his first season in 2021-22, Curry made an immediate impact in Nashville, helping the Commodores secure an NIT bid — the program’s first postseason appearance since the 2016-17 season.
Curry, who played 11 seasons professionally both in the NBA and overseas, served as an assistant coach for the Detroit Pistons for one season before being promoted to become one of the youngest head coaches in NBA history in 2008 when he was 40. Curry went on to serve as associate head coach of the 76ers from 2010-13.
Curry was named head coach at Florida Atlantic in 2014. The Owls upped their win total in each of his final three seasons which included the program’s first win all-time against a Big Ten program — 79-77 over Ohio State.
He guided Ronald Delph to all-conference honors in 2017-18 and also improved the program’s academic performance to a perfect APR of 1000. Most recently, Curry spent the 2020-21 season on the coaching staff at the University of Georgia.
During his playing career, Curry spent six of his 11 NBA seasons with the Pistons which included 33 playoff games and a trip to the Eastern Conference Finals in 2002-03. He also had stints with the Indiana Pacers, Toronto Raptors, Milwaukee Bucks, Washington Bullets, Philadelphia 76ers and Sacramento Kings and, in 667 career NBA games, Curry totaled nearly 2,986 points, 1,045 rebounds, 804 assists and 333 steals.
He also played overseas in France, Spain, Italy, Belgium and Germany.
Curry served as president and vice president of the NBA Players Association executive board between 1999-2005. He was the lead negotiator for collective bargaining agreements in both 1999 and 2005 and, after retiring, Curry served as a vice president for the NBA for two seasons, first at vice president for player development in the NBA’s Development League from 2005-06 and then as vice president of basketball operations from 2006-07.
A collegiate star at Georgia Southern University, Curry served as the team’s captain from 1988-90 and has continued to be heavily involved with Georgia Southern. He was inducted into the Georgia Southern Hall of Fame in 2001, earned the key to the City of Augusta, Georgia — where he played in high school —in 2002, was named among Georgia Southern Alumni of the Year in 2005, had his jersey retired in 2006 and has served on the Georgia Southern Foundation Board of Trustees since 2006.
The gym at Curry’s High School, Glenn Hills, was named in his honor in 2014. In 2015, Curry was inducted into the Augusta City Classic Hall of Fame.
Michael and Katrina are the proud parents of sons Deon, Michael Jr, and daughters Ashley and Crysten.
Coaching Career
2021-present • Vanderbilt • Associate Head Coach
2020-21 • Georgia • Player Development Assistant
2014-18 • FAU • Head Coach
2010-13 • Philadelphia 76ers • Associate Head Coach
2008-09 • Detroit Pistons • Head Coach
2007-08 • Detroit Pistons • Assistant Coach
Playing Career
2004-05 • Indiana Pacers
2003-04 • Toronto Raptors
1999-2003 • Detroit Pistons
1997-99 • Milwaukee Bucks
1996-97 • Detroit Pistons
1995-96 • Washington Bullets/Detroit Pistons
1993-94 • Philadelphia 76ers
1988-90 • Georgia Southern