NBA’s Cavaliers hire former Syracuse women’s basketball assistant Lindsay Gottlieb

Lindsay Gottlieb

California coach Lindsay Gottlieb watches the team play Washington State during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game at the Pac-12 women's tournament Thursday, March 7, 2019, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)AP

CLEVELAND (AP) — The Cavaliers have hired former California coach Lindsay Gottlieb as an assistant on John Beilein's staff.

Gottlieb spent the past eight years coaching the Golden Bears, leading them to seven NCAA Tournament appearances. While she's not the first female assistant coach in the NBA, she is the first to go from being a head college coach to the pro league.

Gottlieb went 179-89 at Cal and led the school to its first Final Four in 2013.

Gottlieb was an assistant coach for the women’s basketball team at Syracuse University in the 1999-2000 and 2000-01 seasons, where she also was the assistant director of the school’s girls basketball camp. While at SU, she earned a master’s degree in philosophy of education.

Cavaliers general manager Koby Altman says Gottlieb will "be a great addition" for Beilein, who is taking over a young Cleveland team. Altman says Gottlieb "brings a depth of basketball knowledge, leadership, perspective and approach to her craft that will fit very well with our team and staff alike."

The Cavaliers hired Beilein last month following his 12-year stint at Michigan, where he was the school’s winningest coach. Beilein also has a Syracuse connection, having coached at Le Moyne College.

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