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Craig Neal
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Craig Duane Neal (born February 16, 1964) is an American basketball coach and former player who is the associate head coach for the Nevada Wolf Pack of the Mountain West Conference (MWC). He played professionally in the National Basketball Association (NBA).
Key Information
Neal played college basketball for the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets and was selected by the Portland Trail Blazers in the third round (71st pick overall) of the 1988 NBA draft. He played in the NBA and several minor leagues.
High school
[edit]He was brought up in Washington, Indiana, where he played high school basketball at Washington High School, coached by his father, Stan. As a senior in 1983, he earned all-American[1] and all-state honors, averaging 27.6 points per game and leading his 25-2 Washington High School team to the semi-state finals. He scored 1,440 points in his Hatchets career.[2]
College playing career
[edit]In 1982, Neal signed with the Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech) to play basketball under coach Bobby Cremins.[1]
Neal played for the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets from 1983 to 1988.[3] Due to a season-ending injury, Neal played only four games in his sophomore season in 1984–85 and redshirted that year.[4] As a senior in 1987–88, Neal set the ACC single-season record with 303 assists while averaging a league-best 9.5 assists per game in addition to 7.7 points.[4]
During Neal's time at Georgia Tech, the Yellow Jackets made the 1984 NIT and subsequent NCAA Tournaments the following four years, including trips to the Elite Eight in 1985 and Sweet Sixteen in 1986.[4]
Neal graduated with a bachelor's degree in management in 1988.[5]
Professional playing career
[edit]In the 1988 NBA draft, the Portland Trail Blazers picked Neal in the third round, 71st overall.[6] Neal began his basketball career playing for the Jacksonville Hooters of the USBL.[7] In his rookie NBA season, Neal played 21 games for the Portland Trail Blazers before being waived on January 11, 1989. On February 3, Neal signed as a free agent with the Miami Heat and played 32 games.[6]
After playing in the CBA in the 1989–90 season, Neal returned to the NBA in 1990 as a free agent with the Chicago Bulls but was released before the regular season. On February 12, 1991, Neal signed with the Denver Nuggets. In 10 games, Neal averaged 12.5 minutes and 4.4 points before being waived on March 3.[6]
Neal later played for the Florida Jades of the World Basketball League in 1991 and he was the Most Valuable Player in the 1991 WBL All-Star Game.[8]
Neal served as a player and coach for the Fort Wayne Fury of the CBA in 1994–95.[9]
NBA scouting and coaching career
[edit]In 1996, Neal joined the Toronto Raptors of the NBA as a scout before becoming an assistant coach for the team under Lenny Wilkens in 2000.[4][1] For three years, Neal coached the Raptors' summer league team and led pre-draft workouts for prospects. After Wilkens was fired, Neal returned to a scouting role for the Raptors during the 2003–04 season.[4]
College coaching career
[edit]Iowa
[edit]In August 2004, Craig Neal joined long-time friend and head coach Steve Alford at the University of Iowa. Neal and Alford had known each other since they were in the third grade.[10] With Neal as Associate Head Coach, Iowa posted a 63–35 record, including consecutive trips to the NCAA Tournament in 2005 and 2006. The Hawkeyes won 25 games in 2005–06. They also captured the 2006 Big Ten Conference tournament title and ran off a school record 19-game winning streak in Carver-Hawkeye Arena, winning all 17 home games in 2005–06.[4]
New Mexico
[edit]On March 27, 2007, Craig Neal followed Steve Alford to New Mexico and became the Associate Head Coach of the Lobos. In his first year at New Mexico, Craig Neal played an essential role in turning New Mexico into a competitive team. In addition, the Lobos made the NIT, their first trip to the postseason since 2005. In 2010 and 2012, New Mexico reached the NCAA tournament (winning both opening round games). In 2013. New Mexico reached the NCAA tournament as the number 3 seed, losing in the first round to 14th seed Harvard.
On April 2, 2013, New Mexico promoted Neal to Head Coach[11] after Alford left to take the head coaching position at UCLA. Neal signed a five-year contract worth $750,000 annually plus incentives.[5] At his introductory press conference Neal remarked "It's just been amazing, this has been one of the happiest days of my life. Steve set the bar really high, I'm going to try and jump over it."[12]
In Neal's first season as head coach, New Mexico finished 27–7, including 15–3 and second place in the Mountain West Conference. New Mexico beat San Diego State in the Mountain West tournament, finished the season ranked 17th in the AP Poll, and earned an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament. As a 7 seed in the tournament, New Mexico lost in the Round of 64 to 10 seed Stanford.[13] New Mexico Athletic Director Paul Krebs rewarded Neal with a two-year contract extension.[14]
However, New Mexico went 15–16 the following year and 17–15 in 2015–16 and failed to make the NCAA tournament.[15] Neal's son Cullen, a starting guard on the team, left the program after the year.[16] In 2016–17, New Mexico went 17–14 and marked the first time in the nearly 50-year history of The Pit that home attendance did not rank in the top 25 in Division I.[17] By the end of the season, four players who had eligibility remaining decided to leave the program, including leading scorer Elijah Brown.[17][18]
On March 31, 2017, New Mexico fired Neal 3 weeks after Lobos AD Paul Krebs announced that Neal would return next season.[17] Acting university president Chaouki Abdallah stated: "The decision made late tonight comes after lengthy consideration in light of recent developments that cannot be ignored."[19]
Nevada
[edit]After spending two seasons out of college basketball, Neal rejoined his old friend Steve Alford, now the Head Coach at Nevada, before the 2019–20 season. Neal was hired as associate head coach and became the highest paid assistant coach in Nevada athletics history.[20]
Head coaching record
[edit]| Season | Team | Overall | Conference | Standing | Postseason | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Mexico Lobos (Mountain West Conference) (2013–2017) | |||||||||
| 2013–14 | New Mexico | 27–7 | 15–3 | 2nd | NCAA round of 64 | ||||
| 2014–15 | New Mexico | 15–16 | 7–11 | 8th | |||||
| 2015–16 | New Mexico | 17–15 | 10–8 | T–4th | |||||
| 2016–17 | New Mexico | 17–14 | 10–8 | 5th | |||||
| New Mexico: | 76–52 (.594) | 42–30 (.583) | |||||||
| Total: | 76–52 (.594) | ||||||||
|
National champion
Postseason invitational champion
| |||||||||
Community service
[edit]Neal founded the Craig Neal/Grant Delagrange Benefit Golf Tournament in Fort Wayne, IN, to raise money for schools to support children with autism and Down syndrome. In addition, while in Toronto, Craig Neal was involved with the NBA's Team Up community service program.[4]
Family
[edit]Neal and his wife, Janet, have two sons, Cullen and Dalton. Cullen played five seasons of college basketball and is now a staff member at Rice. Craig's younger brother Shane played four seasons for the University of Tennessee-Chattanooga Mocs men's basketball team, and their father Stan played college basketball at Ball State University.
References
[edit]- ^ a b c Grammer, Geoff (June 9, 2013). "Neal gets to make his mark". Albuquerque Journal. Retrieved April 2, 2017.
- ^ "Craig Neal - Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame". hoopshall.com/. Retrieved January 31, 2024.
- ^ "Players: Craig Neal". Sports-Reference CBB. Retrieved April 2, 2017.
- ^ a b c d e f g "2016-17 Men's Basketball Coaching Staff: Craig Neal". University of New Mexico Athletics. Archived from the original on April 2, 2017. Retrieved April 17, 2017.
- ^ a b "Craig Neal Named 20th Basketball Coach at New Mexico". University of New Mexico Lobos athletics. April 2, 2013. Retrieved January 31, 2024.
- ^ a b c "Craig Neal". basketball-reference.com. Archived from the original on June 16, 2017. Retrieved April 2, 2017.
- ^ "The Palm Beach Post from West Palm Beach, Florida on June 3, 1988 · Page 175". June 3, 1988 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "World Basketball League". apbr.org.
- ^ "Craig Neal". National Basketball Association. 2001. Retrieved April 2, 2017.
- ^ "Former assistant Craig Neal takes over at New Mexico after Alford's departure for UCLA". Associated Press. March 25, 2015. Retrieved January 31, 2024.
- ^ "Craig Neal Named 20th Basketball Coach at New Mexico". University of New Mexico. April 2, 2013. Archived from the original on April 6, 2013.
- ^ "Craig Neal officially introduced as New Mexico Lobos coach". KOAT. April 4, 2013. Retrieved January 31, 2024.
- ^ "2013-14 New Mexico Lobos Schedule and Results".
- ^ "New Mexico gives coach Neal 2-year extension". ESPN. March 31, 2014. Retrieved January 31, 2024.
- ^ "Craig Neal". SRCBB. Retrieved April 1, 2017.
- ^ "New Mexico G Neal transferring from school". ESPN. March 14, 2016. Retrieved January 31, 2024.
- ^ a b c Grammer, Geoff (April 1, 2017). "Neal is out as UNM basketball coach". Albuquerque Journal. Retrieved April 1, 2017.
- ^ "Basketball player Elijah Brown to transfer from UNM". KOB-TV. March 20, 2017. Retrieved April 1, 2017.
- ^ "Craig Neal relieved of duties as men's basketball coach". University of New Mexico. April 1, 2017. Retrieved April 1, 2017.
- ^ Murray, Chris (July 24, 2019). "Craig Neal becomes highest-paid assistant coach in Nevada athletics history". Nevada Sports Net. Retrieved January 31, 2024.
Craig Neal
View on GrokipediaEarly life and playing career
High school career
Craig Neal was born on February 16, 1964, in Muncie, Indiana, but was raised in Washington, Indiana, where he was influenced early by his father, Stan Neal, a high school basketball coach.[1][2] Neal attended Washington High School in Washington, Indiana, playing basketball under his father's coaching.[3][2] In his senior year, Neal averaged 27.6 points per game, leading the Hatchets to a 25-2 record and an appearance in the semi-state finals, amassing 1,440 career points.[3] He was recognized as a 1983 Indiana All-Star for his performance.[3] Neal's high school accomplishments earned him induction into the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame in 2022.[3] Following high school, he continued his basketball career at Georgia Tech.[1]College playing career
Craig Neal enrolled at the Georgia Institute of Technology in 1983, where he played basketball for the Yellow Jackets from the 1983-84 season through 1987-88 while majoring in management.[4] As a 6-foot-5 point guard, Neal appeared in 127 games over five seasons (limited to four games in 1984-85 due to injury), averaging 6.2 points, 1.6 rebounds, and 5.2 assists per game, while setting school records with 659 career assists.[5] His high school scoring prowess, averaging 27.6 points per game, provided a strong foundation for his collegiate role as a distributor.[3] Neal's leadership as the team's primary ball-handler was most evident in his senior year of 1987-88, when he set an Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) single-season record with 303 assists and earned All-ACC honors.[4] During his tenure, Georgia Tech advanced to postseason play five times, including the 1984 National Invitation Tournament (NIT) and NCAA Tournaments in 1985, 1986, 1987, and 1988.[4] The Yellow Jackets reached the Elite Eight in 1985, defeating Iona and Ohio State before falling to top-seeded Memphis State in the Southeast Regional final, and advanced to the Sweet Sixteen in 1986, where they lost to LSU.[6][7][4] Following his senior season, Neal was selected by the Portland Trail Blazers in the third round (71st overall) of the 1988 NBA Draft.[5]Professional playing career
Neal was selected by the Portland Trail Blazers in the third round (71st overall pick) of the 1988 NBA Draft out of Georgia Tech.[1] He debuted with Portland during the 1988–89 season, appearing in 21 games as a point guard and averaging 1.2 points and 1.5 assists per game.[1] Waived by Portland in January 1989, Neal signed with the Miami Heat, where he played 32 games, posting averages of 2.8 points and 2.7 assists.[1] He did not appear in the NBA during the 1989–90 season, instead playing in other professional leagues.[1] In the 1990–91 season, Neal signed with the Denver Nuggets, suiting up for 10 games and averaging 4.4 points and 3.7 assists.[1] Across his three NBA seasons with Portland, Miami, and Denver, he appeared in 63 total games, averaging 2.5 points, 0.7 rebounds, and 2.5 assists in 9.9 minutes per game while shooting 37.3% from the field.[1] After limited NBA opportunities, Neal transitioned to minor professional leagues, continuing as a point guard through 1995. He spent much of his time in the Continental Basketball Association (CBA), playing for teams including the Rapid City Thrillers, Columbus Horizon, Fort Wayne Fury, Omaha Racers, and Jacksonville Hooters from 1988 to 1994.[8] In 212 CBA games, Neal averaged 6.7 points, 2.2 rebounds, and a team-high 7.9 assists per game, and he appeared in three CBA championship series.[8][2] Neal also competed in the World Basketball League (WBL) during the 1991 season with the Florida Jades, earning MVP honors in the league's All-Star Game.[9] He rounded out his professional career playing overseas in Europe before retiring in 1995, spanning a total of seven seasons across the NBA, CBA, WBL, and international circuits.[2]Coaching career
NBA scouting and early coaching
After retiring from professional playing and coaching in the Continental Basketball Association following the 1994–95 season, Neal transitioned into NBA basketball operations with the Toronto Raptors.[2] He joined the organization as a scout in 1995, where he contributed to talent evaluation over the next five years.[10] His scouting role drew on insights from his own professional playing experience across the NBA, CBA, and overseas leagues, allowing him to assess prospects and opponents effectively.[3] In 2000, Neal advanced to the position of assistant coach with the Raptors, serving under head coach Lenny Wilkens through the 2002–03 season.[11] His duties included preparing scouting reports on opponents, directing game preparation, and leading the team's summer league efforts for three consecutive years.[11] Neal also oversaw all Raptors pre-draft college workouts, focusing on player development and integration into professional systems.[11] Following the 2002–03 season, Neal shifted back to scouting and player development roles with Toronto during the 2003–04 campaign.[12] In 2004, he departed the NBA to pursue assistant coaching opportunities at the collegiate level.[10]College assistant coaching
Neal joined the University of Iowa as an assistant coach in July 2004 under head coach Steve Alford, a longtime friend from their shared playing days at Indiana University.[10] During his three seasons on staff from 2004 to 2007, the Hawkeyes compiled a 63–35 overall record, including a 25–9 mark in 2005–06 that featured an 11–5 Big Ten Conference finish and a second-round appearance in the NCAA Tournament. The team made consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances in 2005 and 2006, marking Iowa's first such streak since 2001–02, and Neal played a key role in recruiting efforts that landed a 2006–07 class ranked among the nation's top 10 by multiple publications.[12] In March 2007, Neal followed Alford to the University of New Mexico, where he served as associate head coach from 2007 to 2013.[13] Under their leadership, the Lobos achieved three NCAA Tournament berths in 2010, 2012, and 2013, along with four Mountain West Conference regular-season titles (2009, 2010, 2012, 2013) and two conference tournament championships (2012, 2013).[14] Neal handled the team's offensive schemes, contributing to New Mexico's consistent top rankings in conference offensive statistics, such as scoring and efficiency, and he was instrumental in high-profile recruiting classes that bolstered the program's talent base.[12] A notable aspect of his player development work included mentoring his son, Cullen Neal, whom he helped recruit to the program ahead of Cullen's freshman season in 2013–14.[15] Following Alford's departure to UCLA in April 2013, Neal was promoted to head coach at New Mexico, transitioning seamlessly from his associate role to lead the Lobos in the 2013–14 season.[16]Head coaching at New Mexico
In April 2013, following Steve Alford's departure to UCLA, Craig Neal was promoted from associate head coach to head coach of the University of New Mexico men's basketball team.[13] His prior experience as Alford's top assistant, during which the Lobos achieved consistent success including multiple NCAA Tournament appearances, positioned him as a natural successor to maintain program stability.[17] Neal's debut season in 2013–14 marked a strong start, as the Lobos compiled a 27–7 overall record and a 15–3 mark in Mountain West Conference play, finishing second in the regular season.[18] The team won the Mountain West Tournament title, earning a No. 7 seed in the NCAA Tournament, where they advanced to the second round before losing to Stanford.[12] This achievement represented the most wins by a first-year head coach in program history and highlighted Neal's ability to leverage returning talent effectively.[19] Subsequent seasons saw declining performance, with records of 15–16 in 2014–15 (7–11 in conference) and 17–15 in 2015–16 (10–8 in conference), followed by 17–14 in 2016–17 (10–8 in conference), resulting in no further NCAA Tournament berths.[18] Over four seasons, Neal's teams posted an overall 76–52 record (.594 winning percentage) and 42–30 in Mountain West play (.583).[19] Despite these challenges, Neal's recruiting efforts bolstered the roster, notably securing junior college and transfer forward Tim Williams in 2014, who became a First Team All-Mountain West selection and the team's leading scorer and rebounder in 2015–16.[20] Neal was fired on April 1, 2017, shortly after the 2016–17 season concluded without postseason play, as the university sought new leadership amid the program's stagnation.[19]International role in Monaco
Following his dismissal from the University of New Mexico in April 2017, Craig Neal accepted a temporary administrative position in European basketball. In August 2018, he was appointed as the Director of Sport for the Monaco Amateur Basketball Association, affiliated with AS Monaco. This role focused on international youth basketball development and lasted approximately 10 months, concluding in May 2019. Neal's responsibilities included overseeing 23 youth teams for players aged 9 to 21, managing program development, and directing amateur operations across levels from U9 to U21. He worked closely with U18 squads and the Espoirs Team in the LNB Pro A League, emphasizing improvements in youth training and overall basketball infrastructure in Monaco. Additionally, Neal supervised all training-related aspects to build competitive pathways for young athletes. During his tenure, Neal contributed to elevating Monaco's youth programs by securing the NBA Global Camp, an event that introduced professional-level coaching and international exposure to local participants. This initiative strengthened training structures and fostered greater alignment with global standards in Monaco's basketball association. In June 2019, Neal departed the position to resume coaching in the United States.Associate head coaching at Nevada
In May 2019, Craig Neal was hired as associate head coach for the Nevada Wolf Pack men's basketball team under head coach Steve Alford, reuniting with his longtime friend and former colleague from Iowa and New Mexico.[21][22] This appointment made Neal the highest-paid assistant coach in University of Nevada athletics history, with a starting salary of $270,000 for the 2019-20 season.[23] Neal completed his sixth season with Nevada in 2024-25, contributing to an overall record of 113-75 during his tenure, including a 59-48 mark in Mountain West Conference play.[24] The Wolf Pack earned NCAA Tournament berths in 2022-23 and 2023-24, along with titles in the 2023 Diamond Head Classic and the Paradise Jam championship.[2] In the 2023-24 season, Nevada achieved a 26-8 record, finishing second in the Mountain West with a 13-5 conference mark and advancing to the NCAA Tournament's first round, where they fell to Dayton 63-60; the team ranked in the top 50 nationally in field goal percentage (42nd), three-point percentage (49th), and turnovers forced per game (39th).[2][25] The 2024-25 campaign resulted in a 17-16 overall record and an 8-12 conference finish, placing seventh in the Mountain West.[26] Neal's key contributions included coordinating the team's offense, which produced a record offensive season in 2023-24 by leading the Mountain West in points per game, assists per game, field goal percentage, three-point percentage, and assist-to-turnover ratio.[2] He played a pivotal role in player development, coaching 15 athletes to postseason honors and guiding guards like Jarod Lucas (17.8 points per game in 2023-24) and Kenan Blackshear, the latter of whom earned All-Mountain West Defensive Team recognition.[2] Nevada consistently ranked in the top five of the conference in multiple defensive categories during Neal's tenure, such as steals and blocks in 2022-23.[27] His prior oversight of youth programs in Monaco informed Nevada's recruiting efforts, emphasizing international talent development.[2] As of November 2025, Neal remains in his role, with no reported changes to his contract or position, supporting ongoing program stability following his return from international duties.[28]Head coaching record
Craig Neal served as head coach of the New Mexico Lobos men's basketball team from 2013 to 2017, compiling an overall record of 76 wins and 52 losses, which equates to a .594 winning percentage.[29][30] In Mountain West Conference play, his teams achieved a 42–30 record (.583).[30] During his tenure, the Lobos made one appearance in the NCAA Tournament, advancing to the second round in 2014 with a 1–1 postseason record.[19][31]| Season | Overall | Conference | Conf. Finish | Postseason |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013–14 | 27–7 (.794) | 15–3 (.833) | 2nd | NCAA: 1–1 (Second Round) |
| 2014–15 | 15–16 (.484) | 7–11 (.389) | 8th | None |
| 2015–16 | 17–15 (.531) | 10–8 (.556) | T–4th | None |
| 2016–17 | 17–14 (.548) | 10–8 (.556) | 5th | None |
| Total | 76–52 (.594) | 42–30 (.583) | NCAA: 1–1 |