View source for Jim Cleamons

{{Short description|American basketball player and coach}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2024}}
{{Infobox basketball biography
| name = Jim Cleamons
| image = Jim Cleamons (Crop).jpg
| width = 
| caption = 
| height_ft = 6
| height_in = 3
| weight_lb = 185
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1949|9|13}}
| birth_place = [[Lincolnton, North Carolina]], U.S.
| high_school = [[Linden-McKinley High School|Linden-McKinley]] ([[Columbus, Ohio]])
| college = [[Ohio State Buckeyes men's basketball|Ohio State]] (1968–1971)
| draft_year = 1971
| draft_round = 1
| draft_pick = 13
| draft_team = [[Los Angeles Lakers]]
| career_start = 1971
| career_end = 1980
| career_number = 11, 5, 35, 33
| career_position = [[Shooting guard]] / [[point guard]]
| coach_start = 1982
| coach_end = 
| years1 = {{nbay|1971|full=y}}
| team1 = [[Los Angeles Lakers]]
| years2 = {{nbay|1972|start}}–{{nbay|1976|end}}
| team2 = [[Cleveland Cavaliers]]
| years3 = {{nbay|1977|start}}–{{nbay|1979|start}}
| team3 = [[New York Knicks]]
| years4 = {{nbay|1979|full=y}}
| team4 = [[Washington Bullets]]
| cyears1 = 1982–1983
| cteam1 = [[Furman Paladins men's basketball|Furman]] (assistant)
| cyears2 = 1983–1987
| cteam2 = [[Ohio State Buckeyes men's basketball|Ohio State]] (assistant)
| cyears3 = 1987–1989
| cteam3 = [[Youngstown State Penguins men's basketball|Youngstown State]]
| cyears4 = {{nbay|1989|start}}–{{nbay|1995|end}}
| cteam4 = [[Chicago Bulls]] (assistant)
| cyears5 = {{nbay|1996|start}}–{{nbay|1997|start}}
| cteam5 = [[Dallas Mavericks]]
| cyears6 = 1998–1999
| cteam6 = [[Chicago Condors]]
| cyears7 = {{nbay|1999|start}}–{{nbay|2003|end}}
| cteam7 = [[Los Angeles Lakers]] (assistant)
| cyears8 = {{nbay|2004|start}}–{{nbay|2005|end}}
| cteam8 = [[New Orleans Hornets]] (assistant)
| cyears9 = {{nbay|2006|start}}–{{nbay|2010|end}}
| cteam9 = Los Angeles Lakers (assistant)
| cyears10 = 2011–2012
| cteam10 = [[Zhejiang Guangsha]]
| cyears11 = {{nbay|2013|start}}–{{nbay|2013|end}}
| cteam11 = [[Milwaukee Bucks]] (assistant)
| cyears12 = {{nbay|2014|start}}–{{nbay|2015|end}}
| cteam12 = [[New York Knicks]] (assistant)
| cyears13 = 2017–2018
| cteam13 = [[Yeshiva University of Los Angeles]] (assistant)
| highlights = '''As player:'''
* [[NBA champion]] ([[1972 NBA Finals|1972]])
* [[NBA All-Defensive Second Team]] ({{nbay|1975|end}})
* First-team All-[[Big Ten Conference|Big Ten]] (1971)
'''As assistant coach:'''
* 9× [[NBA champion]] ([[1991 NBA Finals|1991]]–[[1993 NBA Finals|1993]], [[1996 NBA Finals|1996]], [[2000 NBA Finals|2000]]–[[2002 NBA Finals|2002]], [[2009 NBA Finals|2009]], [[2010 NBA Finals|2010]])
| stat1label = [[Point (basketball)|Points]]
| stat1value = 5,412 (8.3 ppg)
| stat2label = [[Rebound (basketball)|Rebounds]]
| stat2value = 1,981 (3.0 rpg)
| stat3label = [[Assist (basketball)|Assists]]
| stat3value = 2,531 (3.9 apg)
| bbr = cleamji01
}}
'''James Mitchell Cleamons''' (born September 13, 1949) is an American former professional [[basketball]] player and was a coach in the NBA and at the college and high school levels. He was an assistant coach on nine [[National Basketball Association]] (NBA) championship teams.

== Early life ==
Cleamons was born on September 13, 1949, in [[Lincolnton, North Carolina]]. He grew up in [[Columbus, Ohio]], and graduated from [[Linden-McKinley High School]] in 1967. He played on an Ohio state championship basketball team at Linden-McKinley.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Jim Cleamons : 2008 : Inductees : Hall of Fame : Ohio Basketball Hall of Fame |url=https://ohiobasketballhalloffame.com/hall-of-fame/inductees/2008/jim-cleamons.html |access-date=2025-01-09 |website=ohiobasketballhalloffame.com |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":5">{{Cite web |last=Ghose |first=Dave |date=September 11, 2020 |title=Seven Questions: Jim Cleamons Comes Home |url=https://www.columbusmonthly.com/story/news/2020/09/11/seven-questions-jim-cleamons-comes-home/115177922/ |access-date=2025-01-09 |website=Columbus Monthly |language=en-US}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title=Where Are They Now: Jim Cleamons |url=https://www.nba.com/cavaliers/features/wherearethey-cleamons-200518 |access-date=2025-01-09 |website=www.nba.com |language=en}}</ref>

== College ==
Cleamons attended [[Ohio State University]] in Columbus, earning a degree in education. He played on its basketball team as a [[swingman]]. He played [[Basketball positions|forward]] as a sophomore and junior, and [[point guard]] his senior year (1970–71). In 1971, he was team captain and led the team to a   [[Big Ten Conference|Big Ten]] championship. The team had a 20–6 record overall. In the [[1971 NCAA University Division basketball tournament|1971 NCAA tournament]], the Buckeyes defeated [[Marquette Golden Eagles men's basketball|Marquette]] in the regional semifinals, but lost to [[Western Kentucky Hilltoppers basketball|Western Kentucky]] in overtime at the regional finals. Ohio State finished the season ranked 10th in the nation by the Associated Press (AP).<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":5" /><ref>{{Cite web |title=1970-71 Men's Big Ten Conference Season Summary |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/conferences/big-ten/men/1971.html |access-date=2025-01-09 |website=College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=1971 NCAA tournament: Bracket, scores, stats, records {{!}} NCAA.com |url=https://www.ncaa.com/news/basketball-men/article/2020-05-19/1971-ncaa-tournament-bracket-scores-stats-records |access-date=2025-01-09 |website=www.ncaa.com |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":4" /><ref name=":8" />

He averaged 18.5 [[Basketball scorekeeping|points]] and 7.3 [[Rebound (basketball)|rebounds]] per game over three years.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Jim Cleamons College Stats |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/players/jim-cleamons-1.html |access-date=2025-01-09 |website=College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref> He was selected first team All-Big Ten for the 1970-71 season.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Men's All-Big Ten Conference Winners |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/awards/men/all-big-ten.html |access-date=2025-01-09 |website=College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref>

== Playing career ==
Cleamons was selected by the [[Los Angeles Lakers]] with the 13th pick of the [[1971 NBA draft]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=1971 NBA Draft |url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/draft/NBA_1971.html |access-date=2025-01-09 |website=Basketball-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref>  He had a nine-year NBA career for four teams (the Lakers, the [[Cleveland Cavaliers]], the [[New York Knicks]], and the [[Washington Bullets]]). In 1976, Cleamons was selected to the NBA All-Defense 2nd team.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Year-by-year NBA All-Defensive Teams |url=https://www.nba.com/news/history-all-defensive-team |access-date=2025-01-09 |website=NBA.com |language=en}}</ref> His playing height and weight are listed as 6&nbsp;ft 3 in (1.91m), 185 pounds (84&nbsp;kg).<ref name=":3" />

In 1971-72, Cleamons was the only rookie playing on a [[1971–72 Los Angeles Lakers season|Lakers team]] that won 33 straight games, finished the regular season 69–13, and won the NBA championship. It is considered one of the greatest teams in league history.<ref>{{Cite web |title=1971 - 1972 Lakers |url=https://www.nba.com/lakers/history/1971-72-lakers#:~:text=Among%20the%20greatest%20teams%20in,an%20American%20professional%20sports%20record. |access-date=2025-01-09 |website=www.nba.com |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=NBA at 50: Top 10 Teams |url=https://www.nba.com/history/nba-at-50/top-10-teams |access-date=2025-01-09 |website=NBA.com |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":2">{{Cite web |title=1971-72 Los Angeles Lakers Roster and Stats |url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/LAL/1972.html |access-date=2025-01-09 |website=Basketball-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref> As back-up point guard to future hall of fame player [[Jerry West]], Cleamons averaged only 5.3 minutes per game.<ref name=":2" /><ref>{{Cite web |title=The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame :: Jerry West |url=https://www.hoophall.com/hall-of-famers/jerry-west/ |access-date=2025-01-09 |website=www.hoophall.com |language=en}}</ref>

In August 1972, the Lakers traded Cleamons to the Cleveland Cavaliers for a second round draft pick. On hearing he was traded, Cleamons cried.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":3" /> He was a part-time player during his first two years in Cleveland, but in the 1974-75 season his playing time increased to over 36 minutes per game.<ref name=":3">{{Cite web |title=Jim Cleamons Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Draft Status and more |url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/c/cleamji01.html |access-date=2025-01-09 |website=Basketball-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref>

He started every game in the 1975-76 season for the Cavaliers, averaging a career high 12.2 points per game, along with 4.3 rebounds and 5.2 assists per game. This was the Cavaliers first truly successful squad in its six-year history, and became known as the "Miracle of Richfield" team under coach [[Bill Fitch]].<ref name=":3" /><ref>{{Cite web |last=Graeff |first=Burt |date=2017-04-30 |title=The Miracle of Richfield ranks as iconic period for Cavaliers (Cleveland Plain Dealer) |url=https://www.cleveland.com/cavs/2017/04/the_miracle_pd_175th.html |access-date=2025-01-09 |website=cleveland.com |language=en}}</ref> Cleamons was a key young player on a team that included a focus on "dogged defense".<ref name=":1" />

The team won its first playoff round over the [[Washington Bullets]] in a dramatic seven game series decided by two points in the final game,<ref>{{Cite web |title=1976 NBA Eastern Conference Semifinals - Bullets vs. Cavaliers |url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/playoffs/1976-nba-eastern-conference-semifinals-bullets-vs-cavaliers.html |access-date=2025-01-09 |website=Basketball-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref> but lost to the Boston Celtics in the next round.<ref>{{Cite web |title=1976 NBA Eastern Conference Finals - Cavaliers vs. Celtics |url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/playoffs/1976-nba-eastern-conference-finals-cavaliers-vs-celtics.html |access-date=2025-01-09 |website=Basketball-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref> Cleamons' most memorable play as a Cavalier came in Game 5 of the Bullets series, when he grabbed a [[Bingo Smith]] [[air ball]] and put in the game-winning layup in the game's last seconds.<ref name=":1" />

Cleamons played one more season in Cleveland, and signed as a free agent with the New York Knicks in October 1977, with the Cavaliers receiving the 32-year old [[Walt Frazier]] as compensation.<ref name=":3" /><ref>{{Cite web |title=Walt Frazier Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Draft Status and more |url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/f/fraziwa01.html |access-date=2025-01-09 |website=Basketball-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref> Cleamons played two full seasons with the Knicks, and early in his third season (1979–80), he was traded to the Bullets for a 1981 third round draft pick. He was the first Knick to make a three-point field goal in the regular season. He averaged 26.9 minutes per game in 57 games for the Bullets, in what was his final NBA season as a player.<ref name=":3" /><ref name=":5" />

== Coaching career ==
After retiring as a player, Cleamons began coaching at the college level. He was an assistant coach at [[Furman University|Furman]] (1982–83) and Ohio State (1983-1987), and became head coach at [[Youngstown State University|Youngstown State]] from 1987-89.<ref name=":6">{{Cite web |last=Bailey |first=Joseph |date=2021-12-13 |title=Jim Cleamons, former NBA player and coach, coming to Lompoc High Wednesday |url=https://syvnews.com/sports/local/jim-cleamons-former-nba-player-and-coach-coming-to-lompoc-high-wednesday/article_a7dd2153-d001-5b99-98e6-61e8ba42017f.html |access-date=2025-01-09 |website=Santa Ynez Valley News |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":4">{{Cite web |date=October 20, 2014 |title=Jim Cleamons |url=https://www.nba.com/knicks/jim-cleamons |access-date=2025-01-09 |website=www.nba.com |language=en}}</ref>

Cleamons had been a teammate of [[Phil Jackson]] when they played together with the Knicks. They both knew basketball and had "basketball chemistry" in discussing the game. A decade later, in 1989, when Jackson became head coach of the Chicago Bulls, he invited Cleamons to join his staff, and Cleamons eventually did so.<ref name=":1" /> He would be Jackon's assistant on nine NBA championship teams with the Bulls and Lakers, coaching both [[Michael Jordan]] and [[Kobe Bryant]] (among others).<ref name=":4" />

Cleamons worked as an assistant coach for the Bulls from 1989 to 1996.<ref name=":7">{{Cite web |title=Jim Cleamons: Coaching Record, Awards |url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/coaches/cleamji01c.html |access-date=2025-01-09 |website=Basketball-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref> He was the head coach of the [[Dallas Mavericks]] for slightly over one year, from 1996 to 1997.<ref name=":4" /><ref name=":7" />  He then was the head coach of the [[Chicago Condors]] of the [[American Basketball League (1996–1998)|American Basketball league]], a short-lived women's professional basketball league in the mid Nineties.<ref name=":8">{{Cite web |last=Ballow |first=Jonah |date=October 11, 2015 |title=Jim Cleamons |url=https://www.nba.com/knicks/jim-cleamons-0 |access-date=2025-01-09 |website=www.nba.com |language=en}}</ref>

He was an assistant coach again with Jackson with the Lakers, from 1999-2004 and 2006-11.<ref name=":6" /><ref>{{Cite web |title=Phil Jackson: Coaching Record, Awards |url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/coaches/jacksph01c.html |access-date=2025-01-09 |website=Basketball-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref>  Between the two periods with the Lakers, he was an assistant with the [[New Orleans/Oklahoma City Hornets]] (2004-2006). In 2011, Cleamons became a coach in the [[Chinese Basketball Association]].<ref>[http://articles.boston.com/2011-09-25/sports/30201515_1_wilson-chandler-chris-luchey-coach-cleamons Chandler is rolling the dice by going to China] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111110054408/http://articles.boston.com/2011-09-25/sports/30201515_1_wilson-chandler-chris-luchey-coach-cleamons|date=2011-11-10}}</ref> In 2013, he became an assistant with the [[Milwaukee Bucks]] for one season.<ref name=":8" /> For a few games during his tenure with the Lakers, he served as acting head coach while Phil Jackson was absent.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2003-05-12 |title=Jackson misses game after surgery |url=https://www.deseret.com/2003/5/12/19721794/jackson-misses-game-after-surgery/ |access-date=2025-01-09 |website=Deseret News |language=en}}</ref>

In 2014, Jackson hired Cleamons to join the [[New York Knicks]] coaching staff under [[Derek Fisher]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nba/knicks/2014/09/03/new-york-knickerbockers-hire-jim-cleamons-rasheed-hazzard-brian-keefe-joshua-longstaff/15036411/|title=Knicks hire Jim Cleamons, 3 others to fill out Derek Fisher's staff|website=[[USA Today]]}}</ref>

In 2017, Cleamons accepted a position as an assistant coach for the Yeshiva University of Los Angeles (YULA) high school boys basketball team.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.cooperinvitational.com/yula-panthers-roster |title= YULA Roster |work= Cooper Invitational |date=2017 |access-date= January 1, 2018 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Amico |first=Sam |date=2018-05-03 |title=Cleamons drawing interest from Bucks, Hornets |url=https://www.si.com/nba/cavaliers/nba/cavaliers/nba-amico/nba-rumors-milwaukee-bucks-charlotte-hornets-jim-cleamons |access-date=2025-01-09 |website=Cleveland Cavaliers On SI |language=en-US}}</ref> He was not on the coaching staff for the 2019-2020 season.<ref>{{Cite web |title=2019-20 Men's Basketball Roster |url=https://yumacs.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/2019-20 |access-date=2025-01-09 |website=Yeshiva University Athletics |language=en}}</ref>

== Personal life ==
In late 2019 and early 2020, Cleamons served as an NBA basketball ambassador in Africa and Australia. In 2020, he and his wife returned to live in Columbus.<ref name=":5" /> He coached the Ohio team in the 2022 HCBU College Basketball All Star Game.<ref name=":9">{{Cite web |last=Jardy |first=Adam |date=April 21, 2022 |title=Columbus' own Jim Cleamons ready to coach Ohio team in HBCU all-star game |url=https://www.dispatch.com/story/sports/college/basketball/2022/04/21/college-basketball-all-star-game-celebrity-extravaganza-ohio-team/7383181001/ |access-date=2025-01-09 |website=The Columbus Dispatch |language=en-US}}</ref> Since moving back to Columbus he has served as a motivational speaker and basketball instructor to high school youth.<ref>{{Cite web |author=Staff report |date=2021-12-13 |title=Santa Maria Elks Hoop Shoot set for Sunday |url=https://santamariatimes.com/sports/local/santa-maria-elks-hoop-shoot-set-for-sunday/article_13a43092-e226-5068-9885-3a4ea9107319.html |access-date=2025-01-09 |website=Santa Maria Times |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":9" />

== Honors ==
In 1984, he was inducted into the Ohio State Hall of Fame.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Jim Cleamons (1984) - Hall of Fame Inductees |url=https://ohiostatebuckeyes.com/honors/hall-of-fame-inductees/jim-cleamons/63 |access-date=2025-01-09 |website=Ohio State |language=en}}</ref> In 2008, he was inducted into the Ohio Basketball Hall of Fame.<ref name=":0" /> In 2019, he was inducted into the Ohio High School Circle of Champions.<ref>{{Cite web |date=March 19, 2019 |title=OHSAA Award Winners Announced, Including Four into Circle of Champions |url=https://www.ohsaa.org/news-media/articles/ohsaa-award-winners-announced-including-four-into-circle-of-champions |access-date=2025-01-09 |website=OHSAA |language=en-US}}</ref>

==Career playing statistics==
{{NBA player statistics legend|champion=y}}

===NBA===
Source<ref name=bbr>{{cite web|url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/c/cleamji01.html|title=Jim Cleamons NBA stats|website=[[Basketball Reference]]|publisher=Sports Reference LLC|accessdate=30 December 2024}}</ref>

====Regular season====
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="font-size:95%; text-align:right;"
!Year
!Team
!GP
!GS
!MPG
!FG%
!3P%
!FT%
!RPG
!APG
!SPG
!BPG
!PPG
|-
| style="text-align:left;background:#afe6ba;"| {{nbay|1971}}†
| style="text-align:left;"| [[1971–72 Los Angeles Lakers season|L.A. Lakers]]
| 38 || || 5.3 || .350 || || .778 || 1.0 || .9 || || || 2.6
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| {{nbay|1972}}
| style="text-align:left;"| [[1972–73 Cleveland Cavaliers season|Cleveland]]
| 80 || || 17.4 || .454 || || .743 || 2.1 || 2.6 || || || 5.7
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| {{nbay|1973}}
| style="text-align:left;"| [[1973–74 Cleveland Cavaliers season|Cleveland]]
| 81 || || 20.3 || .433 || || .699 || 2.8 || 2.8 || .8 || .2 || 7.0
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| {{nbay|1974}}
| style="text-align:left;"| [[1974–75 Cleveland Cavaliers season|Cleveland]]
| 74 || || '''36.4''' || .480 || || .796 || 4.4 || 5.1 || 1.1 || .3 || 11.9
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| {{nbay|1975}}
| style="text-align:left;"| [[1975–76 Cleveland Cavaliers season|Cleveland]]
| '''82''' || '''82''' || 34.6 || .466 || || .798 || 4.3 || '''5.2''' || '''1.5''' || .2 || '''12.2'''
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| {{nbay|1976}}
| style="text-align:left;"| [[1976–77 Cleveland Cavaliers season|Cleveland]]
| 60 || || 34.1 || .434 || || .757 || '''4.6''' || 5.1 || 1.1 || '''.4''' || 10.4
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| {{nbay|1977}}
| style="text-align:left;"| [[1977–78 New York Knicks season|New York]]
| 79 || 44 || 25.4 || .480 || || .786 || 2.7 || 3.6 || .9 || .2 || 6.5
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| {{nbay|1978}}
| style="text-align:left;"| [[1978–79 New York Knicks season|New York]]
| 79 || 71 || 30.3 || .473 || || .760 || 2.8 || 4.8 || .9 || .1 || 9.5
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| {{nbay|1979}}
| style="text-align:left;"| [[1979–80 New York Knicks season|New York]]
| 22 || 0 || 11.5 || .435 || '''.375''' || '''.800''' || .9 || 1.8 || .6 || .1 || 3.4
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| {{nbay|1979|nolink=y}}
| style="text-align:left;"| [[1979–80 Washington Bullets season|Washington]]
| 57 || || 26.9 || .483 || .174 || .735 || 2.3 || 4.4 || .8 || .2 || 7.8
|- class="sortbottom"
| style="text-align:center;" colspan="2"| Career
| 652 || 197 || 26.1 || .460 || .226 || .765 || 3.0 || 3.9 || 1.0 || .2 || 8.3
{{S-end}}

====Playoffs====
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="font-size:95%; text-align:right;"
!Year
!Team
!GP
!MPG
!FG%
!3P%
!FT%
!RPG
!APG
!SPG
!BPG
!PPG
|-
| style="text-align:left;background:#afe6ba;"| [[1972 NBA playoffs|1972]]†
| style="text-align:left;"| [[1971–72 Los Angeles Lakers season|L.A. Lakers]]
| 6 || 2.8 || '''.571''' || || &ndash; || .7 || .7 || || || 1.3
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| [[1976 NBA playoffs|1976]]
| style="text-align:left;"| [[1975–76 Cleveland Cavaliers season|Cleveland]]
| '''13''' || '''38.7''' || .397 || || .825 || '''5.5''' || '''4.7''' || '''.6''' || '''.2''' || '''13.8'''
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| [[1978 NBA playoffs|1978]]
| style="text-align:left;"| [[1977–78 New York Knicks season|New York]]
| 6 || 21.2 || .389 || || '''1.000''' || 2.2 || 3.8 || .5 || .0 || 5.7
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| [[1980 NBA playoffs|1980]]
| style="text-align:left;"| [[1979–80 Washington Bullets season|Washington]]
| 2 || 10.0 || .000 || &ndash; || &ndash; || .5 || .5 || .5 || .0 || .0
|- class="sortbottom"
| style="text-align:center;" colspan="2"| Career
| 27 || 24.7 || .396 || &ndash; || .848 || 3.3 || 3.3 || .6 || .1 || 8.2
{{S-end}}

==Head coaching record==
===College===
{{CBB Yearly Record Start
|type=coach
|conference=
|postseason=
|poll=no
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Subhead
|name=[[Youngstown State Penguins men's basketball|Youngstown State Penguins]]
|startyear=1987
|conference=[[Ohio Valley Conference]]<ref>http://ovcsports.com/documents/2013/10/21/2013-14%20OVC%20Basketball%20Media%20Guide.pdf {{Bare URL PDF|date=March 2022}}</ref>
|endyear=1988
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
 | season       = [[1987–88 NCAA Division I men's basketball season|1987–88]]
 | name         = Youngstown State <ref>http://web1.ncaa.org/app_data/statsPDFArchive/MBB1/A/Men%27s%20Basketball_Men%27s_Division%20I_1988_817_Youngstown%20State%20University.pdf {{Bare URL PDF|date=March 2022}}</ref>
 | overall      = 7–21
 | conference   = 2–12
 | confstanding = 7th
 | postseason   = 
 | ranking      =
 | ranking2     =
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Subhead
|name=Youngstown State
|startyear=1988
|conference=Independent
|endyear=1989
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
 | season       = [[1988–89 NCAA Division I men's basketball season|1988–89]]
 | name         = Youngstown State<ref>http://web1.ncaa.org/app_data/statsPDFArchive/MBB1/A/Men%27s%20Basketball_Men%27s_Division%20I_1989_817_Youngstown%20State%20University.pdf {{Bare URL PDF|date=March 2022}}</ref>
 | overall      = 5–23
 | conference   = 
 | confstanding = 
 | postseason   = 
 | ranking      =
 | ranking2     =
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Subtotal
 | name       = Youngstown State
 | overall    = {{Winning percentage|12|44|record=y}}
 | confrecord = {{Winning percentage|2|12|record=y}}
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record End
|overall= {{Winning percentage|12|44|record=y}}
|poll=no
}}

===NBA===
{{NBA coach statistics legend}}
{{NBA coach statistics start}}
|-
| align="left" |[[1996–97 Dallas Mavericks season|Dallas]]
| align="left" |{{nbay|1996}}
|82||24||58||.293|| align="center" |5th in Midwest||—||—||—||—
| align="center" |Missed Playoffs
|-
| align="left" |[[1997–98 Dallas Mavericks season|Dallas]]
| align="left" |{{nbay|1997}}
|16||4||12||.250|| align="center" |(fired)||—||—||—||—
| align="center" |—
|-class="sortbottom"
| align="left" |'''Career'''
| ||98||28||70||.286|| ||—||—||—||—
{{S-end}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Portal bar|Sports}}
{{commons}}
* [https://www.basketball-reference.com/coaches/cleamji01c.html BasketballReference.com: Jim Cleamons (as coach)]
* [https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/c/cleamji01.html BasketballReference.com: Jim Cleamons (as player)]

{{Navboxes| list1 =
{{Youngstown State Penguins men's basketball coach navbox}}
{{Dallas Mavericks coach navbox}}
{{1971 NBA draft}}
{{Los Angeles Lakers 1971–72 NBA champions}}
{{Chicago Bulls 1990–91 NBA champions}}
{{Chicago Bulls 1991–92 NBA champions}}
{{Chicago Bulls 1992–93 NBA champions}}
{{Chicago Bulls 1995–96 NBA champions}}
{{Los Angeles Lakers 1999–2000 NBA champions}}
{{Los Angeles Lakers 2000–01 NBA champions}}
{{Los Angeles Lakers 2001–02 NBA champions}}
{{Los Angeles Lakers 2008–09 NBA champions}}
{{Los Angeles Lakers 2009–10 NBA champions}}
}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Cleamons, Jim}}
[[Category:1949 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:20th-century African-American sportsmen]]
[[Category:20th-century American sportsmen]]
[[Category:21st-century African-American sportsmen]]
[[Category:21st-century American sportsmen]]
[[Category:African-American basketball coaches]]
[[Category:American expatriate basketball people in China]]
[[Category:American men's basketball players]]
[[Category:Basketball coaches from North Carolina]]
[[Category:Basketball players from North Carolina]]
[[Category:Cleveland Cavaliers players]]
[[Category:Chicago Bulls assistant coaches]]
[[Category:Dallas Mavericks head coaches]]
[[Category:Dallas Mavericks expansion draft picks]]
[[Category:Furman Paladins men's basketball coaches]]
[[Category:Guards (basketball)]]
[[Category:Indiana Pacers draft picks]]
[[Category:Los Angeles Lakers assistant coaches]]
[[Category:Los Angeles Lakers draft picks]]
[[Category:Los Angeles Lakers players]]
[[Category:Milwaukee Bucks assistant coaches]]
[[Category:New Orleans Hornets assistant coaches]]
[[Category:New York Knicks assistant coaches]]
[[Category:New York Knicks players]]
[[Category:Ohio State Buckeyes men's basketball coaches]]
[[Category:Ohio State Buckeyes men's basketball players]]
[[Category:People from Lincolnton, North Carolina]]
[[Category:Washington Bullets players]]
[[Category:Youngstown State Penguins men's basketball coaches]]