Bill Laimbeer

From Hoopedia

The winningest coach in the history of the Detroit Shock, Bill Laimbeer took over an 0-10 team during the 2002 WNBA season replacing Greg Williams and guiding the team to 9-13 mark the remainder of the summer. The following year, Laimbeer drafted Ruth Riley in the 2003 Dispersal Draft, selected Cheryl Ford with the number three pick in the 2003 WNBA Draft and led the Shock to the 2003 WNBA Championship over the Los Angeles Sparks. In doing so, he earned the league’s Coach of the Year award. Three seasons later, Laimbeer once again led the Shock to a championship with a three-games-to-two win over the Sacramento Monarchs.

Prior to joining the Shock, Laimbeer was one of the key members of the Detroit Pistons championship teams in 1989 and 1990. The Pistons acquired Laimbeer, along with Ken Carr, from the Cleveland Cavaliers on February 16, 1982 in exchange for Phill Hubbard, Paul Mokeski and the Pistons' first and second round picks in the 1982 NBA Draft. The Cavs originally selected Laimbeer out of Notre Dame in the third round (No. 21 overall) of the 1979 NBA Draft.