Rise to Success: Career Highlights of Luke Walton
From career breakthroughs to professional milestones, explore how Luke Walton made an impact.
Luke Walton is a former NBA player and coach, currently the lead assistant coach for the Detroit Pistons. He played 10 seasons in the NBA as a forward, winning two championships with the Los Angeles Lakers. He also won a title as an assistant coach with the Golden State Warriors. He later served as head coach for the Los Angeles Lakers (2016-2019) and the Sacramento Kings (2019-2021).
2003: NBA Draft Selection
In 2003, Luke Walton was drafted by the Los Angeles Lakers as the 32nd overall pick in the NBA draft.
2003: Drafted by the Lakers
In 2003, Luke Walton was selected by the Los Angeles Lakers in the second round of the NBA draft.
July 12, 2007: Signed 6-Year Contract
On July 12, 2007, Luke Walton signed a 6-year, $30 million contract with the Los Angeles Lakers.
2009: NBA Championship
In 2009, Luke Walton won an NBA championship with the Los Angeles Lakers.
2010: Second NBA Championship
In 2010, Luke Walton secured his second NBA championship with the Los Angeles Lakers, defeating the Boston Celtics.
2011: Assistant Coach at Memphis
In 2011, Luke Walton began his coaching career as an assistant coach with the University of Memphis during the NBA lockout.
March 15, 2012: Traded to Cleveland Cavaliers
On March 15, 2012, Luke Walton was traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers along with Jason Kapono and a 2012 first-round draft choice.
November 2013: Player Development Coach for D-Fenders
In November 2013, Luke Walton was hired as a player development coach by the Los Angeles D-Fenders of the NBA Development League.
2013: Joins Lakers Broadcast Team
In 2013, Luke Walton was hired by Spectrum SportsNet to join their Lakers on-air broadcast team.
2014: Assistant Coach for Golden State
In 2014, Luke Walton became an assistant coach for the Golden State Warriors.
October 2015: Named Warriors Interim Head Coach
In October 2015, Luke Walton was appointed as the Warriors' interim head coach.
2015: Warriors Interim Head Coach
In 2015, Luke Walton served as the Warriors' interim head coach, guiding the team to a 24-game winning streak to start the season.
2015: NBA Championship as Assistant Coach
In 2015, as an assistant coach, Luke Walton won his third NBA championship with the Golden State Warriors.
January 22, 2016: Kerr Resumes Coaching Full-Time
On January 22, 2016, Steve Kerr resumed coaching full-time for the Warriors, after Luke Walton served as the interim head coach.
April 29, 2016: Hired as Lakers Head Coach
On April 29, 2016, Luke Walton was hired as the new head coach of the Los Angeles Lakers.
2016: Hired as Lakers Head Coach
In 2016, Luke Walton was hired as the head coach of the Los Angeles Lakers, a position he held until 2019.
2018: LeBron James Signs with the Lakers
In 2018, the Lakers signed LeBron James, setting high expectations for the team under Luke Walton's coaching.
April 12, 2019: Parted Ways with Lakers
On April 12, 2019, Luke Walton and the Los Angeles Lakers mutually agreed to part ways after he served as their head coach.
April 14, 2019: Hired as Kings Head Coach
On April 14, 2019, Luke Walton was hired as the head coach of the Sacramento Kings.
2019: Departure from Lakers and Hire by Kings
In 2019, Luke Walton departed from the Los Angeles Lakers and was hired as the head coach of the Sacramento Kings.
November 21, 2021: Fired by Kings
On November 21, 2021, Luke Walton was fired by the Sacramento Kings after a 6-11 start to the 2021-22 season.
2021: Fired by the Sacramento Kings
In 2021, Luke Walton was fired by the Sacramento Kings after serving as their head coach since 2019.
May 31, 2022: Hired as Cavaliers Assistant Coach
On May 31, 2022, Luke Walton was hired by the Cleveland Cavaliers as an assistant coach.
July 12, 2024: Hired as Pistons Lead Assistant Coach
On July 12, 2024, Luke Walton was hired as the lead assistant coach for the Detroit Pistons.
