EXCLUSIVE: Mike D’Antoni Discusses Leaving Rockets, Coaching Advise

Basketball Hall of Famer Mike D’Antoni served as the Houston Rockets’ head coach from 2016 to 2020. His stint with the team is highlighted by a 65-win year and Western Conference Finals appearance in 2018.

While the Rockets experimented with numerous superstar talents in its core, such as Chris Paul and Russell Westbrook, Houston’s offense operated primarily through James Harden. This led to multiple dynamic duos throughout the late 2010s, mainly consisting of Harden and another All-Star caliber guard.

In an exclusive interview with Houston Rockets On SI, D'Antoni discussed the Rockets' roster construction and his departure from the franchise. Our conversation has been edited for length, clarity, and grammar.

Eric Jay Santos: The Rockets didn’t have a traditional Big Three during your time coaching the franchise. Meanwhile, LeBron James and Stephen Curry were winning championships as part of formidable trios. Were there any major free agency or trade talks that didn’t pan out?

Mike D’Antoni: Not that I remember. We were pretty happy. When we got Chris Paul, we won 65 games. Teams can think they’re getting better with another star, but that can also go south really quick.

I think we were happy with what we had. I thought we should have won a championship in 2018. With Chris getting hurt [during the Western Conference Finals], that didn’t help.

Eric Jay Santos: You decided not to continue as the Rockets’ head coach in 2020, and shortly after, the team entered a rebuilding era. What was your mindset during that final year?

Mike D’Antoni: It was a weird period. There was the COVID pandemic going on. That was my fourth year with the Rockets. We were in the bubble and got knocked out [in the second round of the playoffs].

That’s the way basketball is. I think coaches have a shelf life of so many years that the players, and even management, will listen to them. Sometimes a good situation can become an okay situation. Sometimes it can go south. That’s why people split and go different ways.

But the time that I spent in Houston was great. Great city, great people. The organization is great. I wouldn’t change it for the world.

Eric Jay Santos: Do you have any advice for aspiring coaches?

Mike D’Antoni: It’s not just one thing. It’s your passion, your love for the game, your ability to work hard, and your ability to be able to read the room. That comes with experience, but you’re doing it because you love it.

Whether you’re coaching eighth-grade school, high school, college, the stage is the same. The stage gets bigger in the pros, but the emotion that you put into it, what you feel during the game, the emotion after a win or loss, it’s the same all the way through.

I think it’s just as rewarding to be a high school coach or a junior high coach. Now you’re changing people’s lives and molding young people into being good citizens. So it’s a great profession.

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