Antonio Diaz-Miguel
Inducted:
1997
Player Stats
6 ft 1.25 in (1.86 m)
Born
July 6, 1933
Alcázar de San Juan,
Ciudad Real, Spain
Died
February 21, 2000
Madrid, Spain
Position
Coach
College
University of Bilbao
Antonio Diaz-Miguel was a visionary architect of Spanish basketball and a pivotal figure in the globalization of the sport. While he never coached in the NBA, his influence on the league’s international scouting and playstyles is profound. Díaz-Miguel served as the head coach of the Spanish National Team for an astonishing 27 years (1965–1992)—a world record for longevity in any national team sport.
His crowning achievement came at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics, where he led Spain to a historic Silver Medal, defeating a juggernaut Yugoslavian team before falling to a U.S. squad led by Michael Jordan. Díaz-Miguel was the first Spaniard to be inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1997.
Diaz-Miguel's Awards and Records
- FIBA Hall of Fame (Charter Member, 2007)
- 2x Spanish Coach of the Year (1981, 1982)
- Grand Cross of the Royal Order of Sports Merit (2000)
- 6x FIBA European Selection Coach
- Mediterranean Games Gold (1955 as Player)
- One of the longest-tenured national team coaches in history
National Teams
Spain (1965–1992)
NBA Stats
Years as Head Coach (Spain):
27 (1965–1992)
Total Games Coached:
431
Olympic Appearances:
6 (Record for a basketball coach)
Olympic Silver Medals:
1 (1984)
EuroBasket Medals:
3 (Silver 1973, 1983; Bronze 1991)
World Cup Appearances:
4