Age, Biography and Wiki

Flip Saunders was born on 23 February, 1955 in Cleveland, Ohio, U.S., is an American basketball player, coach and executive (1955–2015). Discover Flip Saunders's Biography, Age, Height, Physical Stats, Dating/Affairs, Family and career updates. Learn How rich is he in this year and how he spends money? Also learn how he earned most of networth at the age of 60 years old?

Popular As N/A
Occupation N/A
Age 60 years old
Zodiac Sign Pisces
Born 23 February, 1955
Birthday 23 February
Birthplace Cleveland, Ohio, U.S.
Date of death 25 October, 2015
Died Place Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S.
Nationality United States

We recommend you to check the complete list of Famous People born on 23 February. He is a member of famous Player with the age 60 years old group.

Flip Saunders Height, Weight & Measurements

At 60 years old, Flip Saunders height is 180 cm .

Physical Status
Height 180 cm
Weight Not Available
Body Measurements Not Available
Eye Color Not Available
Hair Color Not Available

Who Is Flip Saunders's Wife?

His wife is Debbie Saunders (m. 1978–2015)

Family
Parents Not Available
Wife Debbie Saunders (m. 1978–2015)
Sibling Not Available
Children Ryan Saunders, Rachel Saunders, Mindy Saunders, Kimberly Saunders

Flip Saunders Net Worth

His net worth has been growing significantly in 2023-2024. So, how much is Flip Saunders worth at the age of 60 years old? Flip Saunders’s income source is mostly from being a successful Player. He is from United States. We have estimated Flip Saunders's net worth, money, salary, income, and assets.

Net Worth in 2024 $1 Million - $5 Million
Salary in 2024 Under Review
Net Worth in 2023 Pending
Salary in 2023 Under Review
House Not Available
Cars Not Available
Source of Income Player

Flip Saunders Social Network

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Wikipedia Flip Saunders Wikipedia
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Timeline

1955

Philip Daniel "Flip" Saunders (February 23, 1955 – October 25, 2015) was an American basketball player and coach.

During his career, he coached the La Crosse Catbirds, Minnesota Timberwolves, Detroit Pistons, and Washington Wizards.

Saunders was born in Cleveland, Ohio.

He was an All-state basketball player at Cuyahoga Heights High School in suburban Cleveland.

1973

In his senior season, 1973, he was named Ohio's Class A High School Basketball Player of the Year, leading the state in scoring average with 32.0 points per game.

At the University of Minnesota, he started 101 of his 103 career contests and as a senior, teamed with Ray Williams, Mychal Thompson, Kevin McHale, and Osborne Lockhart.

Saunders began his coaching career at Golden Valley Lutheran College where he compiled a 92–13 record, including a perfect 56–0 mark at home, in four seasons.

1981

In 1981, he became an assistant coach at his alma mater, Minnesota, and helped guide the Golden Gophers to the Big Ten championship that season.

After five seasons at Minnesota, he became an assistant coach at the University of Tulsa where he worked for two seasons before heading to the pro ranks.

1988

Saunders became the coach of the Rapid City Thrillers of the Continental Basketball Association (CBA) in the 1988–89 season, where future Kings and Warriors head coach Eric Musselman served as the team's general manager.

Musselman's father, Bill Musselman, had recruited Flip when Bill was head coach at the University of Minnesota.

1989

Saunders then later moved to the La Crosse Catbirds for five seasons (1989–94), where he won two CBA Championships, before coaching in 1994–95 with the Sioux Falls Skyforce.

1990

Saunders' impressive CBA tenure included seven consecutive seasons of 30 or more victories, two CBA championships (1990, 1992), two CBA Coach of the Year honors (1989, 1992) and 23 CBA-to-NBA player promotions.

Saunders would leave after seven productive seasons as a head coach in the CBA, where he ranks second with 253 career victories.

1991

He also served as general manager (1991–93) and team president (1991–94) of the Catbirds.

1995

Saunders joined the Minnesota Timberwolves of the National Basketball Association (NBA) on May 11, 1995, as general manager, working under his former Minnesota teammate, Kevin McHale.

On December 18, 1995, Saunders was named head coach of the Timberwolves, replacing Bill Blair.

This happened shortly after McHale had taken over the basketball operations for the Timberwolves.

He then added the coaching duties to his GM responsibilities after the team had gotten off to a 6–14 start.

The Timberwolves went 20–42 the rest of the year, but the emergence of young Kevin Garnett as a front-line NBA player was a huge plus over the second half of the season.

1996

He guided with difficulty the Timberwolves to their first-ever playoff berth in the 1996–97 season, his first full season as an NBA head coach.

A year later, he led the Timberwolves to their first-ever winning season.

1999

They went on to a franchise-record 50 victories in 1999–2000 which was duplicated in 2001–2002.

2003

After the Timberwolves' success in the 2003–04 NBA season, in which they won their first (and to date, only) division title and advanced to the Western Conference finals, they struggled in the 2004–05 season.

2005

On February 12, 2005, McHale fired Saunders and named himself head coach for the rest of the season.

McHale was unable to right the ship, and the Wolves finished one game out of the playoffs, the first time they had missed the playoffs in nine years.

Many fans believed that Saunders' firing was unwarranted, citing instead the contract troubles of Sam Cassell and Latrell Sprewell as the reasons for the team's failure.

However, many also acknowledged that Saunders had coached ten years in Minnesota, and perhaps a new voice was needed.

Saunders replaced Larry Brown as coach of the Detroit Pistons on July 21, 2005.

2006

In his first season in Detroit, Saunders coached the Eastern Conference All-Stars in the 2006 NBA All-Star Game in Houston, Texas, and the Pistons became just the fifth team in NBA history to have four All-Stars in the same season (Ben Wallace, Rasheed Wallace, Rip Hamilton and Chauncey Billups).

After a 70-point first half performance from the Western Conference All-Stars, Saunders notably played all four Pistons for majority of the second half, to propel a defensive turnaround that allowed the East to overcome a 21-point deficit and win the game.

The Pistons finished 64–18—their best record in franchise history—and the best record in the NBA that season.

The Pistons defeated the Milwaukee Bucks in five games in the first round, and the Cleveland Cavaliers in seven games to reach the Eastern Conference finals before losing to the eventual NBA champions Miami Heat.

The following season, despite losing four-time All-Star and four-time Defensive Player of the Year Ben Wallace to free agency, Saunders led Detroit to a 53–29 record, good for first in the East.

Once again the Pistons were able to reach the Eastern Conference finals, but they were defeated by the Cleveland Cavaliers in six games.

2007

The 2007–08 season saw the Pistons finish with their third-best record in franchise history at 59–23.

Detroit did not finish first in the Eastern Conference as they had the previous two seasons, instead finishing as the second seed for the playoffs.

Saunders did still lead them to the Eastern Conference finals once again, but they lost to the Boston Celtics, who went on to win the NBA Finals that year.

2008

On June 3, 2008, just days after the loss to the Celtics, Saunders was fired as head coach.

Pistons president of basketball operations Joe Dumars said the team needed a "new voice".