Jim Boylan

For the American basketball coach who was the head coach of the Chicago Bulls from 2018 to 2020, see Jim Boylen. For the American football wide receiver, see Jim Boylan (American football).

Jim Boylan (born April 28, 1955) is an American basketball coach. He served as the interim head coach for the Chicago Bulls for part of the 2007–08 NBA season. He also served as an interim coach for the Milwaukee Bucks for part of the 2012–13 NBA season. Most recently, he played a part in helping the Cleveland Cavaliers win the 2016 NBA Finals over the Golden State Warriors.

Jim Boylan

Boylan as head coach of the Milwaukee Bucks in 2013
Personal information
Born	(1955-04-28) April 28, 1955 Jersey City, New Jersey, U.S.
Listed height	6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
Listed weight	175 lb (79 kg)
Career information
High school	St. Mary (Jersey City, New Jersey)
College	Assumption (1974–1976) Marquette (1976–1978)
NBA draft	1978: 4th round, 68th overall pick
Selected by the San Diego Clippers
Playing career	1978–1986
Position	Point guard
Coaching career	1982–present
Career history
As player:
1978–1979	Tucson Gunners
1979–1980	Alviks BK
1982–1986	Vevey Basket
As coach:
1982–1986	Vevey Basket
1986–1989	Michigan State (assistant)
1989–1992	New Hampshire
1992–1997	Cleveland Cavaliers (scout)
1997–2001	Vancouver Grizzlies (assistant)
2001–2002	Phoenix Suns (assistant)
2003–2004	Atlanta Hawks (assistant)
2004–2007	Chicago Bulls (assistant)
2007–2008	Chicago Bulls
2008–2013	Milwaukee Bucks (assistant)
2013	Milwaukee Bucks
2013–2018	Cleveland Cavaliers (assistant)
Career highlights and awards
As player: NCAA champion (1977) As assistant coach: NBA champion (2016)
Stats at Basketball Reference

Playing career

Born and raised in Jersey City, New Jersey, Boylan played basketball at St. Mary High School.

He started his college career at Assumption College in Worcester, Massachusetts then a strong NCAA Division II program before transferring to Marquette University in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. His older brother, Mike, had enjoyed an outstanding basketball career at Assumption. He was Division II Player of the Year as a senior and among the school's all-time scoring leaders. Jim started at point guard his first two years at Assumption, 1973–1977, leading the team to a third-place finish in the national championship tournament both seasons. Following his sophomore season he transferred to Marquette University in Division I. He played point guard at Marquette, where he helped the Warriors win the 1977 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament (Marquette's only championship) by scoring 14 points in the National Championship Game versus the North Carolina Tar Heels. After leading Marquette in assists in his junior and senior season, Boylan was drafted in the fourth round (68th overall) in the 1978 NBA draft by the Buffalo Braves, who became the San Diego Clippers after the 1977–78 season. Boylan played for the Tucson Gunners in the Western Basketball Association during the 1978–79 season. He was named a second team All Star, and he helped the Gunners with the WBA championship. However, Boylan never played an NBA game. He headed to Europe instead, having a short pro career. He played for Alviks BK of Stockholm, Sweden in the 1979–80 season.

Coaching career

Boylan began his coaching career as a player-coach in Switzerland from 1982 to 1986 and led Vevey Basket to its first championship in its 30-year history. At age 31, he moved back to the States becoming an assistant under Jud Heathcote at Michigan State University from 1986 to 1989. Boylan then took over head coaching duties at the University of New Hampshire, succeeding Gerry Friel. UNH fired Boylan after three dismal seasons in the spring of 1992.

In 1992 Boylan entered the NBA as a video coordinator and advance scout for the Cleveland Cavaliers. In 1997, he moved over to the Vancouver Grizzlies, serving as an assistant under Brian Hill and later Lionel Hollins. In 2001, Boylan became a member of Frank Johnson's coaching staff in Phoenix, and remained working for the Phoenix Suns under Johnson's successor Scott Skiles. After Skiles was fired in 2002, Boylan worked with Terry Stotts for the Atlanta Hawks during the 2003–04 NBA season.

In 2004, Boylan became lead assistant to Skiles, who had taken over as head coach of the Chicago Bulls. On December 27, 2007, after the firing of Scott Skiles, Jim was named the interim coach for the Bulls for the remaining season. Boylan was not retained at the conclusion of the season after compiling a 24–32 record with the Bulls. On May 14, 2008, he was hired as an assistant to Scott Skiles by the Milwaukee Bucks. When Skiles resigned in January 2013, Boylan became head coach of the Bucks. The team went 22–28 under his guidance and made the playoffs, but were swept in the first round by the Miami Heat. At the end of the season, the Bucks decided not to give Boylan a new contract. Instead, Boylan would be hired by the Cleveland Cavaliers later on in the same year. He would later on be a part of the 2015–16 Cleveland Cavaliers squad to earn an NBA Finals championship over the 73–9 Golden State Warriors.

Head coaching record

Legend

Regular season	G	Games coached	W	Games won	L	Games lost	W–L %	Win–loss %
Playoffs	PG	Playoff games	PW	Playoff wins	PL	Playoff losses	PW–L %	Playoff win–loss %

Team	Year	G	W	L	W–L%	Finish	PG	PW	PL	PW–L%	Result
Chicago	2007–08	56	24	32	.429	4th in Central	—	—	—	—	Missed Playoffs
Milwaukee	2012–13	50	22	28	.440	3rd in Central	4	0	4	.000	Lost in First Round
Career		106	46	60	.434		4	0	4	.000