Mike Fratello, a man with with two hats, a coach and a broadcaster

• He is an American former professional basketball coach
• He is currently a sports broadcaster and analyst for Fox Sports Ohio
• He was awarded the Chuck Daly Lifetime Achievement Award by the National Basketball Coaches Association in 2022

Mike Fretello is a former American professional basketball coach and is currently a sports broadcaster and analyst for NBA games.

He was the head coach of the Atlanta Hawks, Cleveland Cavaliers and Memphis Grizzlies for 17 years.

The former coach led the Atlanta Hawks to the Eastern Conference Finals in 1986 and won the NBA Coach of the Year Award the same year.

Fratello has a successful career as a coach and also as a broadcaster. He worked as a colour commentator for NBA games on TNT and Fox Sports. He is also a studio analyst for NBA TV.

The former coach is also a member of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.

MIKE’S EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND

Mike attended Hackensack High School in Hackensack, New Jersey and then proceeded to Montclair State College where he played college basketball and graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Physical education.

After he graduated from college, he began his coaching career at Princeton University. He spent two seasons as an assistant coach of the New York Knicks before serving as the head coach of the Atlanta Hawks.

PERSONAL LIFE

Mike was born in Hackensack, New Jersey on August 14, 1948, to parents of Italian descent Vincent and Marie Fratello and he has one sibling, a brother known as Joe. His father was a truck driver while his mother was a homemaker and his brother is a businessman.

Mike Fratello. Photo/Fieldhouse Files with Scott Agness

Growing up for Mike was easy as his parents could afford the necessities. He was a good student and a star athlete who played basketball, baseball, football and field hockey.

Since he was young, he loved sports and his parents were sure that he would end up being a player in one of the sports he played.

He is a role model for most young people who aspire to be future basketball players all over the world.

MIKE FRATELLO’S COACHING CAREER

Mike had a successful coaching career in the NBA for 17 years and later became the head coach of the Atlanta Hawks, Cleveland Cavaliers and Memphis Grizzlies.

During his coaching career, he used a telestrator which he used to diagram.

The coach achieved several achievements in his coaching career and here are some of them:

• He was named NBA Coach of the Year in 1986 after leading the Atlanta Hawks to the Eastern Conference finals
• He finished his coaching career with a win of more than 600 games
• He led his teams to the playoffs 11 times in his 17 seasons as a head coach
• He led the Atlanta Hawks to the Eastern Conference Finals in 1986
• He led the Cleveland Cavaliers to the Eastern Conference Finals in 1995
• He was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2023

BROADCASTING CAREER

After retiring from coaching, Mike worked as a colour commentator for NBA games on TNT and Fox Sports. He is also a studio analyst for NBA TV. 

Mike has worked with some of the biggest names in broadcasting like Marv Albert, Dick Stockton and Steve Kerr.

Mike Fratello. Photo/ESPN

What makes him a valuable asset in broadcasting is his knowledge, he is articulate and entertaining and is a great addition to any NBA broadcast. Nike worked for TNT, Fox Sports and is currently working for NBA TV.

FAMILY LIFE

Fratello is married to his wife Susan Fratello and they have two children, a son Marc and a daughter Kristi. 

His son is a former college basketball player who played at the University of Rhode Island and Hofstra University and is currently a high school basketball coach in New Jersey. 

Marc is married and they are blessed with two children. Kristii is also married and she has one baby.

Kristii is a former college volleyball player who played at the University of Richmond and is also a marketing director for a healthcare company.

During his free time, Mike loves the company of his family and is a proud grandfather of three grandchildren.

It has not been easy balancing his work and family ties but Mike has always been able to carry out his roles and responsibilities both at work and home.