View source for David Blatt

{{short description|Israeli-American basketball player and coach (born 1959)}}
{{use mdy dates|date=December 2019}}
{{Infobox basketball biography
| name = David Blatt<br> דוד מיכאל בלאט
| image = David Blatt Cavs 2014.jpg
| image_size = 240
| caption = Blatt as the head coach of the [[Cleveland Cavaliers]] in 2014
| width = 
| team = Maccabi Tel Aviv
| league = [[Israeli Basketball Premier League|Ligat HaAl]]
| position = [[Mental health counselor|Counselor]]
| height_ft = 6
| height_in = 3
| weight_lb = 
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1959|5|22}}
| birth_place = [[Louisville, Kentucky]], U.S.
| nationality = American / Israeli
| high_school = [[Framingham High School|Framingham South]]<br/>([[Framingham, Massachusetts]])
| college = [[Princeton Tigers men's basketball|Princeton]] (1977–1981)
| draft_year = 1981
| career_position = [[Point guard]]
| career_start = 1981
| career_end = 1993
| coach_start = 1993
| coach_end = 2019
| years1 = 1981–1984
| team1 = [[Maccabi Haifa B.C.|Maccabi Haifa]]
| years2 = 1986–1987
| team2 = [[Hapoel Jerusalem B.C.|Hapoel Jerusalem]]
| years3 = 1987–1989
| team3 = [[Barak Netanya B.C.|Maccabi Netanya]]
| years4 = 1989–1990
| team4 = [[Hapoel Galil Elyon]]
| years5 = 1990–1991
| team5 = [[Hapoel Jerusalem B.C.|Hapoel Jerusalem]]
| years6 = 1991–1992
| team6 = [[Ironi Nahariya]]
| years7 = 1992–1993
| team7 = Maccabi Hadera
| cyears1 = 1993–1994
| cteam1 = [[Hapoel Galil Elyon]]
| cyears2 = 1994–1995
| cteam2 = Hapoel Galil Elyon (assistant)
| cyears3 = 1995–1999
| cteam3 = Hapoel Galil Elyon
| cyears4 = 1999–2001
| cteam4 = [[Maccabi Tel Aviv B.C.|Maccabi Tel Aviv]] (assistant)
| cyears5 = 2001–2003
| cteam5 = Maccabi Tel Aviv
| cyears6 = 2003–2004
| cteam6 = Maccabi Tel Aviv (assistant)
| cyears7 = 2004–2005
| cteam7 = [[BC Dynamo Saint Petersburg|Dynamo St. Petersburg]]
| cyears8 = 2005–2007
| cteam8 = [[Treviso Basket|Benetton Treviso]]
| cyears9 = 2006–2012
| cteam9 = [[Russia men's national basketball team|Russia]]
| cyears10 = 2007–2008
| cteam10 = [[Anadolu Efes S.K.|Efes Pilsen]]
| cyears11 = 2008–2009
| cteam11 = [[PBC Dynamo Moscow|Dynamo Moscow]]
| cyears12 = 2010
| cteam12 = [[Aris B.C.|Aris]]
| cyears13 = 2010–2014
| cteam13 = Maccabi Tel Aviv
| cyears14 = {{nbay|2014|start}}–{{nbay|2015|end}}
| cteam14 = [[Cleveland Cavaliers]]
| cyears15 = 2016–2018
| cteam15 = [[Darüşşafaka S.K.|Darüşşafaka]]
| cyears16 = 2018–2019
| cteam16 = [[Olympiacos B.C.|Olympiacos]]
| highlights = '''As head coach:'''
* [[List of FIBA EuroBasket winning head coaches|FIBA EuroBasket]] champion ([[EuroBasket 2007|2007]])
* [[EuroLeague]] champion ([[2013–14 Euroleague|2014]])
* [[EuroCup Basketball|EuroCup]] champion ([[2017–18 EuroCup Basketball|2018]])
* [[FIBA EuroChallenge]] champion ([[2004–05 FIBA Europe League|2005]])
* 5× [[Israeli Basketball Super League|Israeli Super League]] champion (2002, 2003, 2011, 2012, 2014)
* [[Lega Basket Serie A|LBA]] champion (2006)
* [[ABA League]] champion (2012)
* [[Italian Basketball Cup|Italian Cup]] winner (2007)
* 6× [[Israeli Basketball Cup|Israeli Cup]] winner (2002, 2003, 2011–2014)
* [[EuroLeague Coach of the Year Award|EuroLeague Coach of the Year]] (2014)
* [[Russian Gold Basket awards|Russian League Coach of the Year]] (2005)
* 4× [[Israeli Basketball Premier League Coach of the Year|Israeli Super League Coach of the Year]] (1996, 2002, 2011, 2014)
* [[Order of Friendship|Russian Federation Order of Friendship award recipient]] (2014)
'''As assistant coach:'''
* 4x [[Israel Basketball Premier League|Israeli Basketball League]] champion (1993, 1999–2001)
* 3x [[Israeli Basketball Cup|Israeli Cup]] champion (1999–2001)
* [[SuproLeague]] champion ([[2000–01 SuproLeague|2001]]) 
* [[EuroLeague]] champion ([[2003–04 Euroleague|2004]]) 
| medaltemplates = <!--removed Olympic medal templates where not a player-->
{{MedalSport|Men's [[Basketball]]}}
{{MedalSport | Player representing {{bk|USA}} }}
{{MedalCompetition|[[Maccabiah Games]]}}
{{MedalGold |[[1981 Maccabiah Games|1981 Maccabiah]]|}}
{{MedalSport|Head Coach representing {{bk|RUS}} }}
{{MedalCompetition|[[Basketball at the Summer Olympics|Summer Olympic Games]]}}
{{MedalBronze| [[Basketball at the 2012 Summer Olympics – Men's tournament|2012 London]]| }}
{{MedalCompetition|[[EuroBasket]]}}
{{MedalGold| [[EuroBasket 2007|2007 Spain]] | }}
{{MedalBronze| [[EuroBasket 2011|2011 Lithuania]] | }}
}}

'''David Michael Blatt''' ({{langx|he| דוד מיכאל בלאט}}; born May 22, 1959) is an [[Israeli-American]] professional [[basketball]] executive. He is also a former coach and player.
 
Blatt played [[point guard]] at [[Princeton University]] from 1977 to 1981 and played in the [[Maccabiah Games]] for the U.S. national team that won a gold medal in [[1981 Maccabiah Games|1981]]. He then played professional [[basketball]] in Israel for nine of the next twelve years, before an injury ended his playing career, and he began coaching full-time.

He is one of the most successful Israeli-American coaches in European basketball history. As a coach, Blatt has been the [[Israeli Basketball Super League|Israeli Super League]] [[Israeli Basketball Premier League Coach of the Year|Coach of the Year]] four times (1996, 2002, 2011, and 2014), the [[Russian Basketball Super League 1|Russian Super League]] [[Russian Gold Basket awards|Coach of the Year]] (2005), and the [[EuroLeague Coach of the Year Award|EuroLeague Coach of the Year]] (2014). Blatt took over as [[Cleveland Cavaliers|Cleveland's]] head coach, and led the team to the [[2015 NBA Finals]] in his first season. He guided them to the top of their conference the next year, but was fired mid-season, and subsequently returned to coaching in Europe.

==Biography==
Blatt is the son of inventor William F. Blatt (1927–2014) and Lillian (Siegal) Blatt (1930–1997), and is [[Jews|Jewish]].<ref name="nivraskin">{{cite web|url=http://www.haaretz.com/print-edition/sports/basketball-blatt-here-i-became-more-jewish-and-more-zionist-1.368144 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110619051757/http://www.haaretz.com/print-edition/sports/basketball-blatt-here-i-became-more-jewish-and-more-zionist-1.368144 |archive-date=June 19, 2011 |title=Basketball/ Blatt: 'Here I became more Jewish and more Zionist'; Maccabi Tel Aviv coach discusses his immigrant experience. |first=Niv |last=Raskin|date=June 17, 2011|work=Haaretz |access-date=August 23, 2015}}</ref> He was born in [[Louisville]] and grew up in [[Framingham, Massachusetts]]. As a boy, he went to a [[Synagogue#Denominational differences|Reform Temple]], and until his [[Bar and Bat Mitzvah|Bar Mitzvah]] he attended [[Hebrew school]] twice a week.<ref name="nivraskin"/> He says that in Israel he became "much more Jewish and much more [[Zionism|Zionist]]."<ref name="nivraskin"/>

In his sophomore year at [[Princeton University|Princeton]], a coach for an Israeli [[kibbutz]] team recruited him to play in Israel for the summer.<ref name="jta.org">{{cite web|url=http://www.jta.org/2014/06/19/news-opinion/united-states/david-blatt-riding-tel-avivs-euro-title-to-nba-dream-job#ixzz35IwnDTm5|title=David Blatt riding Tel Aviv's Euro title to NBA dream job|work=Jewish Telegraphic Agency|first=Anthony|last=Weiss|date=June 19, 2014}}</ref> The summer at [[Kibbutz]] [[Gan Shmuel]] turned out to be a life-changing experience.<ref name="bradleyburston">{{cite web|url=http://www.haaretz.com/life/sports/.premium-1.534593|title=Achilles' heal: The fall and rise of basketball legend David Blatt|first=Bradley|last=Burston|date=July 18, 2013|work=Haaretz}}</ref> Blatt graduated from Princeton in 1981 with a B.A. in English literature, completing his senior thesis on [[Bernard Malamud]], author of ''[[The Natural]]''.<ref name="grantland.com">{{cite web|url=http://grantland.com/the-triangle/qa-cavs-coach-david-blatt-on-lebron-princeton-and-the-natural|title=Q&A: Cavs Coach David Blatt on LeBron, Princeton, and 'The Natural'|first=Zach|last=Lowe|work=Grantland |date=July 16, 2014}}</ref>

In 1981 he [[aliyah|immigrated to Israel]], and served in the [[Israel Defense Forces]] on the [[Schneller Orphanage|Schneller military base]].<ref name="nivraskin"/><ref>[http://www.maccabiusa.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/Sportscene-Fall-2014.pdf "David Blatt's Maccabiah Experience Influenced His Life Decisions"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141222223131/http://www.maccabiusa.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/Sportscene-Fall-2014.pdf |date=December 22, 2014 }}, Maccabi USA (Fall 2014)</ref> In 1991 Blatt married Kineret, from [[Netanya]], Israel; she had played on an Israeli professional basketball team that he coached.<ref name="bradleyburston"/><ref name="lucasgamellotti/gettyimages">{{cite magazine|url=https://www.si.com/nba/2014/08/06/david-blatt-lebron-james-cleveland-cavaliers|title=Can David Blatt guide the LeBron James, Cavaliers to promise land? – NBA |first=Luca|last=Sgamellotti|magazine=Sports Illustrated}}</ref> They have four children: twin daughters Shani and Adi (who have served in the Israeli army), daughter Ela (his youngest child), and son [[Tamir Blatt]] (born in 1997; in 2014 he was the starting point guard on the Israeli junior national basketball team, and has played for Hapoel Tel Aviv, Hapoel Holon and Hapoel Jerusalem).<ref name="bradleyburston"/><ref name="lucasgamellotti/gettyimages"/><ref name="bostonglobe.com">{{cite web|url = https://www.bostonglobe.com/sports/2014/06/25/david-blatt-from-framingham-coach-nba-cavaliers/72tPC66hDfUMZGZPKenC5O/story.html#|title = David Blatt: From Framingham to coach of NBA's Cavaliers|work =The Boston Globe|first = Lenny|last = Megliola|date = June 26, 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bostonherald.com/sports/celtics_nba/celtics_insider/2014/07/when_nba_called_david_blatt_turned_to_his_friends|title=When NBA called, David Blatt turned to his friends|first=Mark|last=Murphy|work=Boston Herald}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.haaretz.com/life/sports/.premium-1.613368|title=David Blatt talks LeBron, transition to NBA|first=Irad|last=Tsafrir|date=September 1, 2014|work=Haaretz}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sportando.com/en/national-teams/national-teams/136812/five-young-players-to-watch-blatt-dibba-svoboda-kesteloot-goloman.html|title=Five young players to watch: Blatt, Dibba, Svoboda, Kesteloot, Goloman|date=October 6, 2014|work=Sportando}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.eurohoops.net/en/fiba-champions-league/706511/tamir-blatt-signed-with-hapoel-jerusalem/|title=Tamir Blatt signed with Hapoel Jerusalem|date=July 4, 2018|work=Eurohoops|access-date=November 27, 2018|language=en-US}}</ref>

In 2023 he was chosen to light a [[torch]] at the beacon lighting ceremony on [[Mount Herzl]] on the occasion of the 75th year of the State of Israel.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.ynet.co.il/news/article/s1xvt9ym2 | title=אסייג, קהלני, בלאט, מפקד דובדבן ונערה שנאבקת בשיימינג: אלו משיאי המשואות | newspaper=Ynet | date=April 16, 2023 | last1=Ynet | first1=כתבי }}</ref>

==Playing career==
Blatt played basketball at [[Framingham High School|Framingham South High School]], where he was also class president.<ref name="bradleyburston"/><ref name="bostonglobe.com"/>

A [[point guard]], Blatt played [[college basketball]] at [[Princeton University]] from 1977 to 1981 under coach [[Pete Carril]] with the [[Princeton Tigers men's basketball|Princeton Tigers]], where he was team captain.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.jns.org/latest-articles/2015/4/15/jewish-coach-david-blatt-has-nbas-cavaliers-surging-at-playoff-time#.VWJjnpMYNm0=|title=Jewish coach David Blatt has NBA's Cavaliers surging at playoff time|work=JNS.org|date=April 15, 2015|first=Bob|last=Jacob|access-date=May 25, 2015|archive-date=May 25, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150525034023/http://www.jns.org/latest-articles/2015/4/15/jewish-coach-david-blatt-has-nbas-cavaliers-surging-at-playoff-time#.VWJjnpMYNm0=|url-status=dead}}</ref>

He also participated in the [[Maccabiah Games]] as part of the USA national team that won a gold medal in the [[1981 Maccabiah Games]].<ref name="jta.org"/> After competing in the Maccabiah, Blatt began to play professional basketball in Israel's [[Israeli Basketball Super League|Super League]], and played 9 of the next 12 years in Israel before an injury ended his playing career and he started coaching full-time.<ref name="bostonglobe.com"/><ref name="steveaschburner">{{cite web|url=http://www.nba.com/2014/news/features/steve_aschburner/10/31/international-influence-david-blatt/|title=Lessons learned in Europe coming to Cleveland sideline|first=Steve|last=Aschburner|date=October 31, 2014|work=NBA.com|access-date=May 23, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160222131501/http://www.nba.com/2014/news/features/steve_aschburner/10/31/international-influence-david-blatt/|archive-date=February 22, 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref>

==Coaching career==
After retiring from basketball as a player, Blatt became assistant manager for [[Hapoel Galil Elyon]], coaching them for the 1993–94 season. In the middle of the season, the head coach was fired and Blatt took his place. The following year, he became [[Pini Gershon]]'s assistant for the 1994–95 season. The next year, he won the title of Israeli [[Israeli Basketball Premier League Coach of the Year|Coach of the Year]] for 1996. In 1997, he continued coaching Hapoel Galil Elyon, while also becoming the assistant coach of the [[Israel men's national basketball team|Israeli national team]]. For six years, he coached [[Russia men's national basketball team|Russian national basketball team]], winning the [[EuroBasket 2007]].

Blatt returned to coach Galil Elyon, and remained assistant manager of the Israeli National Team for the next two years (1997–99). During his time in Galil Elyon Blatt notoriously assisted Pini Gershon, then head coach of [[Maccabi Tel Aviv B.C.|Maccabi Tel Aviv]], by relaying directions laid out during live broadcasts on national television of time outs of their rivals in the Israeli league finals series games.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.ynet.co.il/articles/0,7340,L-3924625,00.html|title=60 seconds on 60 seconds (Hebrew)|website=Ynet|date=July 28, 2010 |access-date=March 2, 2019 |last1=סלע |first1=ערן }}</ref>

===European leagues and national head coach===
For the 1999–2000 season, he moved to Maccabi Tel Aviv, and once again served as assistant manager to Pini Gershon. During that season, his team took part in the [[Israeli Basketball Super League|Israeli League]] and [[Israeli Basketball State Cup|Israeli Cup]] (winning both), and also in the [[EuroLeague]], where Maccabi finished in 2nd place.

In the years between 2000 and 2004, he continued as assistant coach under Pini Gershon and actively recruited foreign players such as [[Anthony Parker]] (in 2000) and [[Maceo Baston]] to the team. During those four years, Maccabi won one EuroLeague title, reached the [[EuroLeague Final Four]] (2001–02 season), and reached the final stage of the [[ABA League|Adriatic League]]. Maccabi won the [[FIBA Suproleague|SuproLeague]] title in 2001 in Paris. Blatt was still working as assistant coach of the Israeli National Team in 2002, when he won the title of Israeli "[[Israeli Basketball Premier League Coach of the Year|Coach of the Year]]" for the second time, the year he was appointed head coach of Maccabi Tel Aviv.

Despite two years as head coach with all possible domestic titles and one EuroLeague Final Four appearance, for the 2003–04 season, he agreed to be demoted to assistant coach once again when Pini Gershon came back to the head coach position. Together they led one of the best teams in Maccabi Tel Aviv history, and the history of European basketball, to another EuroLeague title with a 44-point win in the final, as well as to the Israeli Championship and the Israeli Cup.

In 2004, he moved to Russia and signed on as head coach with [[BC Dynamo Saint Petersburg|Dynamo Saint Petersburg]]. During that year, he won the [[EuroChallenge|FIBA EuroCup]] championship with Dynamo and also the title of [[Russian Gold Basket awards|"Coach of the Year in Russia"]] (2004–05 season).

For the 2005–06 season, he signed on as head coach of the [[Israel men's national basketball team|Israeli national team]], but his appointment fell through due to the lack of a formal coaching certificate. He left Israel to become head coach of [[Pallacanestro Treviso|Benetton Treviso]] of the [[Lega Basket Serie A|Italian league]], and subsequently led them to the Italian Championship with a 3–1 victory in the final series of the Italian playoffs. In the same year, he was also appointed the head coach of the [[Russia men's national basketball team|Russian national basketball team]].
At the beginning of the 2007–08 season, Blatt was appointed as a head coach of the Istanbul-based [[Basketbol Süper Ligi|Turkish Super League]] team [[Anadolu Efes S.K.|Efes Pilsen]]. However, on April 6, 2008, he parted ways with the team, due to poor results over the season.<ref>{{cite web|title=Efes Pilsen, head coach David Blatt split up|url=http://www.euroleague.net/news/i/29324/180/efes-pilsen-head-coach-david-blatt-split-up|website=euroleague.net|access-date=June 21, 2014}}</ref> Blatt also coached the Russian national basketball team, with which he won the [[EuroBasket 2007]] in a final game against the [[2006 FIBA World Championship|reigning world champions]] and home team of [[Spain men's national basketball team|Spain]], by a score of 60–59.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://mnweekly.ru/sport/20070921/55278252.html |title=In his first year on the job, head coach David Blatt reinstates Russia as a European basketball powerhouse |access-date=September 22, 2007 |url-status=bot: unknown |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071011185421/http://mnweekly.ru/sport/20070921/55278252.html |archive-date=October 11, 2007}}. Moscow News Weekly</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.eurobasket.com/coach.asp?Cntry=TUR&CoachID=3992 |title=David Blatt Profile at Eurobasket |publisher=Eurobasket.com |access-date=January 10, 2011}}</ref>

In 2008, with [[Ettore Messina]] announcing that he would leave [[PBC CSKA Moscow|CSKA Moscow]], Blatt was considered to be the favorite to replace him, but Messina eventually stayed on as CSKA's coach and Blatt agreed to the offer to become the head coach of [[MBC Dynamo Moscow|Dynamo Moscow]] instead.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.dynamobasket.com/en/articles.php?articles_type=1&aID=532&cID=52 |title=Dinamo Moscow inks David Blatt |publisher=Dynamobasket.com |access-date=January 10, 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110717135936/http://www.dynamobasket.com/en/articles.php?articles_type=1&aID=532&cID=52 |archive-date=July 17, 2011}}</ref> Although under contract for two seasons, he parted ways with the team, after requesting that from the team in order to pursue his career elsewhere.<ref>{{cite web|title=David Blatt will not return to Dynamo Moscow in 2009–10|url=http://www.sportando.com/en/europe/russia/77196/david-blatt-will-not-return-to-dynamo-moscow-in-2009-10.html|website=sportando.net|access-date=June 21, 2014}}</ref> In early 2010, Blatt served a stint as the head coach of the [[Greek Basket League|Greek League]] club [[Aris B.C.|Aris]], before moving on to coach [[Maccabi Tel Aviv B.C.|Maccabi Tel Aviv]] once again.<ref name="Aris makes ">{{cite web|url=http://www.eurocupbasketball.com/ulebcup/home/news/i/65356/3735/aris-makes-david-blatt-head-coach |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120729113747/http://www.eurocupbasketball.com/ulebcup/home/news/i/65356/3735/aris-makes-david-blatt-head-coach |url-status=dead |archive-date=July 29, 2012 |title=Aris makes David Blatt head coach |publisher=Eurocupbasketball.com |date=January 15, 2010 |access-date=January 10, 2011}}</ref> Blatt led the Russian national team to a bronze medal during the [[Basketball at the 2012 Summer Olympics – Men's tournament|2012 Summer Olympics]].

[[File:David Blatt 2011.jpg|thumb|Blatt coaching the [[Russia men's national basketball team|Russian national team]] in 2011]]
In 2014, Blatt led Maccabi Tel Aviv to one of the greatest comebacks against CSKA Moscow in the EuroLeague semifinal game, proceeding to win the championship after beating [[Real Madrid Baloncesto|Real Madrid]] in overtime.<ref>{{cite web|title=Maccabi Electra Tel Aviv is the new king of Europe!|url=http://www.euroleague.net/main/results/showgame?gamecode=253&seasoncode=E2013#!report|website=euroleague.net|access-date=June 21, 2014}}</ref> In June, after his contract ended, Blatt officially parted ways with the club in order to seek an [[National Basketball Association|NBA]] coaching position.<ref>{{cite web|title=Blatt Leaving Maccabi for the NBA|url=http://www.maccabi.co.il/News.asp?id=4414&lang=en#sthash.5fer4FCP.dpbs|website=maccabi.co.il|access-date=June 13, 2014}}</ref> Over six seasons as Maccabi head coach, he compiled a 179–21 (.895) record in the Israeli League, and a record of 90–52 (.634) in the EuroLeague, for an overall record of 269–73 combined (.787). In 9 seasons, his career coaching record in the EuroLeague with Maccabi, Treviso, and Efes was 121–81 (.599).<ref>[http://www.euroleague.net/competition/coaches/showcoach?pcode=WBB&seasoncode=E2013 BLATT, DAVID CAREER RECORD.]</ref>

===NBA===
On June 20, 2014, Blatt was hired as head coach of the [[2014–15 Cleveland Cavaliers season|Cleveland Cavaliers]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Cavaliers hire David Blatt as head coach|url=http://www.nba.com/2014/news/06/20/cavs-reach-agreement-with-blatt.ap/index.html|website=nba.com|access-date=June 21, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150602063620/http://www.nba.com/2014/news/06/20/cavs-reach-agreement-with-blatt.ap/index.html|archive-date=June 2, 2015|url-status=dead}}</ref> Following his signing with the Cavaliers, Blatt was named the [[2013–14 Euroleague|EuroLeague]] [[EuroLeague Coach of the Year Award|Coach of the Year]].<ref>{{cite web|title=David Blatt voted Alexander Gomelskiy Coach of the Year|url=http://www.euroleague.net/news/i/138446|website=euroleague.net|access-date=July 11, 2014}}</ref>

On April 1, 2015, Blatt earned his first [[2014–15 NBA season#Coaches of the month|Eastern Conference Coach of the Month]] award.<ref name=cotm0315>{{cite news|title=David Blatt Named Eastern Conference Coach of the Month|url=http://www.nba.com/cavaliers/releases/blatt-coach-of-the-month-150401|access-date=May 15, 2015|work=NBA.com}}</ref> The Cavaliers led the Eastern Conference in March in points-per-game (107.0), points-per-game differential (9.1), field goal percentage (.469), three-point field goal percentage (.399) and three-pointers made per game (12.3). The Cavaliers were also 5–0 at home and tied for the most road wins in the East at 6–4. The month also saw the Cavaliers extend their winning streak at Quicken Loans Arena to 16 games (January 19 – March 29), which tied for the third-longest home streak in franchise history. Over the season, the Cavaliers led the Central Division with a 53–29 record, and Blatt's lifetime .639 winning percentage after the 2014–15 season was the best of any Cavaliers coach in team history.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cleveland.com/datacentral/index.ssf/2015/05/are_cavs_fans_warming_up_coach.html|title=Are Cavs fans warming up to coach David Blatt? Cleveland's best coach or manager (poll)|work=cleveland.com|date=May 19, 2015 }}</ref>

During the Eastern Conference Semifinals, Blatt attempted to call a timeout when the Cavs did not have any left. This would have given the Cavaliers a technical foul, but the referees did not see the attempted timeout and the Cavaliers won the game, tying the series 2–2, and eventually winning the series. In Blatt's first season, the Cavaliers won the [[NBA Conference Finals|Eastern Conference]] title, their first since [[2007 NBA Playoffs|2007]].<ref>{{cite magazine|last1=Rosenberg|first1=Michael|title=LeBron James comes home, brings Cavaliers closer to first NBA title|url=https://www.si.com/nba/2015/05/27/lebron-james-cavaliers-nba-finals-cleveland-title-drought-matthew-dellavedova-hawks-2015-playoffs|access-date=May 27, 2015|magazine=Sports Illustrated|date=May 27, 2015}}</ref> While other rookie head coaches have reached the NBA Finals, Blatt and rival coach [[Steve Kerr]] of the [[Golden State Warriors]] were the first pair of rookie NBA coaches to face each other in the [[NBA Finals]] since the first year of the NBA's existence, in 1947.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://probasketballtalk.nbcsports.com/2015/06/03/steve-kerr-and-david-blatt-meet-again-this-time-as-rookie-coaches-in-the-nba-finals/|title=Steve Kerr and David Blatt meet again, this time as rookie coaches to meet in the NBA Finals – ProBasketballTalk|work=nbcsports.com|date=June 3, 2015 }}</ref> The Cavaliers eventually lost 4–2 to the Warriors in the [[2015 NBA Finals|Finals]].<ref>{{cite news|last1=McGraw|first1=Daniel|title=Golden State Warriors crowned NBA champions after easing past tired Cavs|url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2015/jun/17/golden-state-warriors-nba-title-cleveland-cavaliers|access-date=17 June 2015|via=theguardian.com|work=The Guardian|date=17 June 2015}}</ref>

On January 22, 2016, the Cavaliers fired Blatt.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Fedor|first1=Chris|title=David Blatt fired by Cleveland Cavaliers; Tyronn Lue elevated to head coach|url=http://www.cleveland.com/cavs/index.ssf/2016/01/david_blatt_fired_by_cleveland.html|access-date=January 22, 2016|agency=Cleveland.com|publisher=The Plain Dealer|date=January 22, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.si.com/nba/2016/01/23/cavaliers-david-blatt-fired-lebron-james-tyronn-lue-disconnect|title=Cavs stood no chance with Blatt, unhappy LeBron|last=Golliver|first=Ben|magazine=Sports Illustrated|language=en-us|access-date=2020-02-22}}</ref> Although the team held the best record in their conference (30–11), general manager [[David Griffin (NBA executive)|David Griffin]] cited "a lack of fit with our personnel and our vision" as the reason for the decision.<ref>{{cite web|title=David Blatt fired as Cavaliers coach; Tyronn Lue to take over team|date=January 22, 2016 |url=https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/14627529/david-blatt-fired-cleveland-cavaliers-coach|publisher=ESPN|access-date=January 22, 2016}}</ref> Blatt was replaced by his lead assistant [[Tyronn Lue]], who guided the Cavaliers to their first NBA championship that season.

Even though Blatt only coached the first half of the championship season, the Cavaliers' officials sent him a 2016 NBA Championship ring. At first he declined their offer but later changed his mind and accepted it.<ref>[https://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/david-blatt-will-accept-cavs-championship-ring-offer-lebron-weighs-in/ David Blatt will accept Cavs' championship ring offer; LeBron weighs in]</ref>

===Return to Europe===
On June 1, 2016, Blatt was named the new head coach for [[Darüşşafaka S.K.|Darüşşafaka]] of the [[Basketbol Süper Ligi|Turkish Super League]] and the [[EuroLeague]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Darussafaka names former Euroleague champ Blatt new head coach|url=http://www.euroleague.net/news/i/6xaj53nl8kbft738/darussafaka-names-former-euroleague-champ-blatt-new-head-coach|publisher=Euroleague|date=June 1, 2016|access-date=June 2, 2016}}</ref> In his first season with Darüşşafaka, Blatt coached the team to the EuroLeague quarterfinals, where they eventually lost 1–3 to [[Real Madrid Baloncesto|Real Madrid]]. In the Turkish Super League, Darüşşafaka was eliminated in the semifinals by [[Fenerbahçe Men's Basketball|Fenerbahçe]].

In his second season with Darüşşafaka, Blatt won the [[2017–18 EuroCup Basketball|2018 EuroCup Championship]], becoming only the second coach in history (after [[Dusan Ivkovic]]) who won Euroleague (with Maccabi in 2014), EuroBasket (with Russia in 2007), EuroCup and Olympic medals (bronze with Russia in 2012).<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.eurocupbasketball.com/eurocup/news/i/8mv5il9jpej5vimc/7days-eurocup-finals-head-coach-david-blatt-darussafaka-istanbul |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180404230020/http://www.eurocupbasketball.com/eurocup/news/i/8mv5il9jpej5vimc/7days-eurocup-finals-head-coach-david-blatt-darussafaka-istanbul |url-status=dead |archive-date=April 4, 2018 |title=7DAYS EuroCup Finals head coach: David Blatt, Darussafaka Istanbul |website=EuroCup |date=March 30, 2018 |access-date=April 13, 2018}}</ref>

On June 27, 2018, Blatt was officially named the head coach for [[Olympiacos B.C.|Olympiacos]] of the [[Greek Basket League]] and the [[EuroLeague]], signing a two-year contract.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.euroleague.net/news/i/8tv8exatmhqrt4xn|title=Olympiacos makes former EuroLeague champ Blatt head coach|work=EuroLeague.net|date=June 27, 2018|access-date=June 27, 2018}}</ref> On October 6, 2019, Blatt parted ways with Olympiacos after one season,<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.eurohoops.net/en/euroleague/944853/olympiacos-parts-ways-with-david-blatt/|title=Olympiacos parts ways with David Blatt|work=EuroHoops|date=October 6, 2019|access-date=October 6, 2019}}</ref> announcing he had been diagnosed with [[Multiple sclerosis|PPMS]] and was currently in treatment for the degenerative condition, which will affect him the rest of his life.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.fromthegrapevine.com/health/david-blatt-basketball-coach-opens-about-his-battle-ms-multiple-sclerosis|title=David Blatt opens up about his battle with MS |website=fromthegrapevine.com |date=October 14, 2019}}</ref>

==Executive career==
On December 18, 2019, Blatt announced his retirement from coaching after the [[New York Knicks]] hired him as a consultant.<ref>{{cite web |title=Knicks hire ex-Cavs coach David Blatt at basketball consultant |url=https://www.nba.com/article/2019/12/18/knicks-hire-david-blatt-operations-consultant |website=NBA.com |access-date=December 22, 2019 |date=December 18, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Stein |first1=Marc |title=Knicks Hire David Blatt (Not as a Coach) |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/12/18/sports/basketball/knicks-david-blatt.html |website=The New York Times |access-date=December 22, 2019 |date=December 18, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine |last1=Chavez |first1=Chris |title=David Blatt Retires from Coaching, Joins Knicks Front Office as Consultant |url=https://www.si.com/nba/2019/12/18/david-blatt-retirement-coaching-new-york-knicks-front-office-hire |magazine=Sports Illustrated |access-date=December 22, 2019 |date=December 18, 2019}}</ref>

Blatt's contract was not renewed after the 19–20 season.

On May 28, 2020, through the Israeli company True Player Group (50% of the shares are owned by the Blatt family), he became co-owner of Czech basketball club [[BC Brno]].

During the [[2022–23 Israeli Basketball Premier League|2022–23]] [[Israeli Basketball Premier League]], Blatt served as a consultant for Maccabi Tel Aviv.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Zenziper |first=Nadav |date=2023-08-27 |title=Iconic basketball coach David Blatt set to leave Maccabi Tel Aviv due to MS complications |language=en |work=Ynetnews |url=https://www.ynetnews.com/culture/article/hj11tpvop3 |access-date=2023-08-29}}</ref>

During the [[2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup]] he served as a consultant for the [[Canada men's national basketball team|Canadian national basketball team]].

During the upcoming season, Blatt will serve as a consultant for the [[Arizona Wildcats men's basketball|Arizona Wildcats.]]

==Coaching record==
{{Euroleague coach statistics legend}}

===EuroLeague===
{{Euroleague coach statistics start}}
|-
| style="text-align:left;" rowspan="2"|[[Maccabi Tel Aviv B.C.|Maccabi Tel Aviv]]
| style="text-align:left;"|[[2001–02 Euroleague|2001–02]]
| 21||13||8||{{Winning percentage|13|8}}|| style="text-align:center;"|Lost in [[2002 Euroleague Final Four|Semifinals]]
|-
| style="text-align:left;"|[[2002–03 Euroleague|2002–03]]
| 20||11||9||{{Winning percentage|11|9}}|| style="text-align:center;"|Eliminated in Top 16
|-
| style="text-align:left;" rowspan="2"|[[Treviso Basket|Benetton Treviso]]
| style="text-align:left;"|[[2005–06 Euroleague|2005–06]]
| 20||11||9||{{Winning percentage|11|9}}|| style="text-align:center;"|Eliminated in Top 16
|-
| style="text-align:left;"|[[2006–07 Euroleague|2006–07]]
| 20||11||9||{{Winning percentage|11|9}}|| style="text-align:center;"|Eliminated in Top 16
|-
| style="text-align:left;"|[[Anadolu Efes S.K.|Efes Pilsen]]
| style="text-align:left;"|[[2007–08 Euroleague|2007–08]]
| 20||9||11||{{Winning percentage|9|11}}|| style="text-align:center;"|Eliminated in Top 16
|-
| style="text-align:center;" rowspan="5"|Maccabi Tel Aviv
|-
| style="text-align:left;"|[[2010–11 Euroleague|2010–11]]
| 22||16||6||{{Winning percentage|16|6}}||style="text-align:center;"|Lost in [[2011 Euroleague Final Four|Final]]
|-
| style="text-align:left;"|[[2011–12 Euroleague|2011–12]]
| 21||12||9||{{Winning percentage|12|9}}|| style="text-align:center;"|Lost in Quarterfinals 
|-
| style="text-align:left;"|[[2012–13 Euroleague|2012–13]]
| 27||16||11||{{Winning percentage|16|11}}|| style="text-align:center;"|Lost in Quarterfinals
|- style="background:#FDE910;"
| style="text-align:left;"|[[2013–14 Euroleague|2013–14]]
| 30||21||9||{{Winning percentage|21|9}}|| style="text-align:center;"|'''Won [[2014 Euroleague Final Four|EuroLeague Championship]]'''
|-
| style="text-align:left;"|[[Darüşşafaka S.K.|Darüşşafaka]]
| style="text-align:left;"|[[2016–17 EuroLeague|2016–17]]
| 30||16||14||{{Winning percentage|16|14}}|| style="text-align:center;"|Lost in Quarterfinals
|-
| style="text-align:left;"|[[Olympiacos B.C.|Olympiacos]]
| style="text-align:left;"|[[2018–19 EuroLeague|2018–19]]
| 30||15||15||{{Winning percentage|15|15}}|| style="text-align:center;"|Eliminated in regular season
|- class="sortbottom"
| style="text-align:center;" colspan="2"|Career||276||169||122||{{Winning percentage|169|122}}||&nbsp;
{{s-end}}

===NBA===
{{NBA coach statistics start}}
|-
| style="text-align:left;"|[[2014–15 Cleveland Cavaliers season|Cleveland]]
| style="text-align:left;"|{{nbay|2014}}
| 82||53||29||{{Winning percentage|53|29}}|| style="text-align:center;"|1st in Central||20||14||6||{{Winning percentage|14|6}}||Lost in [[2015 NBA Finals|NBA Finals]]
|-
| style="text-align:left;"|[[2015–16 Cleveland Cavaliers season|Cleveland]]
| style="text-align:left;"|{{nbay|2015}}
| 41||30||11||{{Winning percentage|30|11}}|| style="text-align:center;"|(fired)||—||—||—||—||—
|- class="sortbottom"
| style="text-align:center;" colspan="2"|Career||123||83||40||{{Winning percentage|83|40}}||&nbsp;||20||14||6||{{Winning percentage|14|6}}||&nbsp;
{{s-end}}

==Awards and honors==
* [[EuroBasket 2007]]: {{gold medal}}
* [[EuroBasket 2011]]: {{bronze medal}}
* [[Basketball at the 2012 Summer Olympics – Men's tournament|2012 Olympics]]: {{bronze medal}}
* [[2013–14 Euroleague|2014 EuroLeague]] champion
* 2014 [[EuroLeague Coach of the Year]]
* 2014 [[Order of Friendship]] Award winner
* [[2017–18 EuroCup Basketball|2018 EuroCup]] champion
* 2020 [[Bonei Zion Prize]] in the field of Culture, Art & Sports.

==See also==
{{Portal bar|Sports}}
* [[Sports in Israel]]
* [[List of Jews in sports#Basketball|List of select Jewish basketball players]]
* [[List of foreign NBA coaches]]
* [[List of EuroLeague-winning head coaches]]
* [[List of FIBA EuroBasket winning head coaches]]
* [[List of ABA League-winning coaches]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{commons category|David Blatt}}
* [http://www.euroleague.net/competition/coaches/showcoach?pcode=WBB David Blatt] at euroleague.net
* [http://195.56.77.208/coach/coach.phtml?id=BLA-DAV David Blatt] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121005142440/http://195.56.77.208/coach/coach.phtml?id=BLA-DAV |date=October 5, 2012 }} at legabasket.it {{in lang|it}}

{{Navboxes|list1=
{{Maccabi Tel Aviv B.C.}}
{{Maccabi Tel Aviv B.C. 2000–01 FIBA Suproleague champions}}
{{Maccabi Tel Aviv B.C. 2003–04 Euroleague champions}}
{{BC Dynamo Saint Petersburg 2004–05 FIBA Europe League champions}}
{{Maccabi Tel Aviv B.C. 2013–14 Euroleague champions}}
{{Darüşşafaka S.K. 2017–18 EuroCup champions}}
{{Euroleague Coach of the Year Award}}
{{Israeli Basketball Super League coach of the season}}
{{Russia Squad EuroBasket 2007}}
{{Russia Squad EuroBasket 2011}}
{{Russia Men Basketball Squad 2012 Summer Olympics}}
{{Cleveland Cavaliers coach navbox}}
{{Anadolu Efes S.K. coach navbox}}
}}

{{authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Blatt, David}}
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