Former University of Virginia basketball coach Tony Bennett has accepted a position with the Los Angeles Lakers as a consultant for NBA draft operations, the team announced Wednesday.
Bennett, who stepped away from his coaching career in October 2024, earned recognition as NCAA national Coach of the Year on three occasions during his tenure.
During his time leading the Cavaliers, Bennett secured a national title in the 2018-19 season and collected four Atlantic Coast Conference Coach of the Year awards.
“We’re thrilled and honored to welcome Tony as an advisor to the Lakers basketball operations department,” Lakers president of basketball operations and general manager Rob Pelinka said. “As we refine and build out our NBA draft and scouting processes, we could think of no better basketball mind than Tony Bennett to have as a resource. Tony’s track record of forming culture, with high-character, high-skill and high-IQ players is revered and respected across all basketball circles. Tony will be an incredible asset to our basketball leadership, to our scouts and to our draft department as a whole. We are truly excited.”
The 56-year-old coach posted an impressive 364-136 record while at Virginia between 2009 and 2024. Prior to his success with the Cavaliers, Bennett coached at Washington State from 2006 to 2009, where he went 69-33.
“When Rob and I began talking, what stood out to me was the chance to help out such a storied organization,” Bennett said. “The Lakers carry a tradition that speaks for itself, so to be connected to it and assist Rob and the Lakers in any way I can is exciting.”
Throughout his coaching career, Bennett developed 13 players who eventually entered the NBA draft, including former NBA Rookie of the Year Malcolm Brogdon, two-time NBA three-point shooting percentage champion Joe Harris, and active players De’Andre Hunter with the Kings, Ty Jerome on the Grizzlies, Ryan Dunn playing for the Suns, and Trey Murphy III with the Pelicans.
