The Cleveland Cavaliers have hired Sioux Falls Roosevelt graduate and former University of South Dakota guard Nate Tibbetts as an assistant coach.
Tibbetts joins the Cavaliers from the Tulsa 66ers of the NBA Development League, where he had served as head coach for the past two seasons. The 66ers are the exclusive affiliate of the Oklahoma City Thunder. Last season, Tibbetts led Tulsa to its second consecutive trip to the NBA D-League playoffs, where they reached the semifinals, after compiling a franchise-best 33-17 record.
Under his leadership, Tulsa had three of its players earn Gatorade Call-Ups during the season, the most in the D-League, while finishing near the top of the league in several key defensive categories. Tibbetts also earned the honor of being selected to lead the Western Conference in the 2011 D-League All-Star Game and was selected this past fall as the head coach of the 2011 Pan American Games, which earned a bronze medal, the first medal for the United States since 1999.
Prior to joining the 66ers, Tibbetts spent four seasons with Sioux Falls, also of the D-League. He served as head coach of the Skyforce from 2007-2009, recording a 53-47 record after spending the two previous seasons as an assistant coach. Tibbetts coaching career started at the University of Sioux Falls where he was an assistant coach for four seasons (2001-2005) following a successful collegiate career at the University of South Dakota, where he ranks second all-time in career assists (678) and steals (215).
Tibbetts is the son of the late Fred Tibbetts, who was the winningest high school girls' basketball coach in South Dakota history.
