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The 2020-21 FIBA AmeriCup qualifiers will feature 16 teams from the Americas zone divided into four groups of four teams. The top three finishing teams in each Group will earn a qualifying berth in the FIBA AmeriCup 2021 (site and dates TBA). Mike is thrilled for his next opportunity! "It was quite an honor," said Fratello of his being asked to coach the red, white and blue. "We were fortunate to come up with Andy (Greer) and Othella (Harrington) for our staff. We've all had experience in the international game and we really cover all the different levels, including the NBA game and the international game. "A few years back, Sasha Volkov , who was president of the Ukraine basketball national team and had played for me in Atlanta, called and asked if I would coach their national team. I thought it would be a great opportunity, I had never coached in Europe before. I did it for four summers, for the (2011) Euro Championship, the next year the qualifying for the next year's Euro Championship, then a second Euro Championship, which we then qualified in that one for the (2014 FIBA) World Cup, which was the first time that the country had qualified for the World Cup. It was a great little run we had working with those guys. "This is one of the ultimate things you could ever ask for - being able to try and put a team together that represents your country, what could be better than that?" continued Fratello. "I've coached at every level really - high school, college, NBA, and then international, and now it's international for your own country which is as good as it gets. It's a great honor and I'm thrilled to have it." Fratello, who currently is an analyst for NBA TV and for nationally televised games on TNT, served as an NBA head coach during 17 seasons, including coaching stints with the Atlanta Hawks, Cleveland Cavaliers and Memphis Grizzlies. Boasting of an NBA career regular season record of 667-548 for a .549 winning percentage, he led teams to the NBA playoffs in 11 of his 15 full seasons as a head coach. He ranks 20th in all-time NBA regular season wins (667) and 21st in games coached (1,215). Fratello's first NBA head coaching assignment came during the final three games of the 1980-81 season, after he was named interim head coach of the Atlanta Hawks. Two years later, after serving two seasons as an assistant coach for the New York Knicks, Fratello returned to Atlanta as the head coach. In seven seasons, (1983-84 through 1989-90) he compiled a 324-250 record (.564 winning percentage), made the NBA playoffs five times and won the Central Division title in 1987 with 57 wins. Fratello earned NBA Coach of the Year honors in 1985-86 after leading Atlanta to a 50-32 record and the conference semifinals. He coached the Cleveland Cavaliers for six seasons (1993-94 through 1998-99) and compiled an overall regular season record of 248-212 (.539 winning percentage). He directed the Cavaliers to the NBA playoffs four times. Fratello was head coach of the Memphis Grizzlies from December 2004 to December 2006 and led teams to two NBA playoffs and a 95-83 (.534 winning percentage) regular season record. He also served as the Ukraine national team head coach from 2011-14 and led Ukraine to their first-ever FIBA World Cup appearance. Fratello coached Ukraine in the 2011 FIBA European Championship, the 2012 EuroBasket Qualification Tournament and successfully clinched Ukraine a spot in the 2013 EuroBasket in Slovenia. He made history when he led Ukraine to a 6-5 record and sixth place finish in the 2013 FIBA European Championship to qualify Ukraine for the 2014 FIBA World Cup for the first time. Recording wins over Dominican Republic and Turkey, Ukraine finished the World Cup with a 2-3 record and in 18th place. Fratello's Ukraine team closed preliminary-round play facing the USA and suffered a 95-71 setback. His coaching resume also includes stints as an assistant basketball coach at the University of Rhode Island, James Madison University and Villanova University. Congratulations, Mike!
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