Jeff Capel II

Early life

Born in Southern Pines, North Carolina, Capel graduated from Pinecrest High School in 1970. He went to Fayetteville State University and played on the basketball team as a freshman, then served in the United States Army from 1971 to 1975. Capel says that serving in the Army provided discipline and structure in his life. Capel returned to Fayetteville State and played another season on the basketball team as a senior before graduating in 1977 with a degree in health and physical education.

Coaching career

Pinecrest High School (1980–1986)

In 1978, Capel returned to his alma mater Pinecrest High School to be a volunteer basketball coach. He also coached wrestling, baseball, and junior varsity football at Pinecrest. He then was the head varsity basketball coach from 1980 to 1986. Capel also was an assistant principal at Pinecrest.

Wake Forest (1986–1989)

From 1986 to 1989, Capel was an assistant coach at Wake Forest University under Bob Staak.

Fayetteville State (1989–1993)

Fayetteville State hired Capel as head coach in 1989. In four seasons (1989–1993), Capel had a 63–51 record at Fayetteville State, with berths in the 1991 CIAA basketball tournament semi-finals and 1992 NCAA Division II tournament. Future NBA player Darrell Armstrong was among players Capel coached.

North Carolina A&T (1993–1994)

In the 1993–94 season, Capel was head coach at North Carolina A&T, who finished 16–14 with the MEAC tournament championship and automatic berth in the NCAA tournament.

Old Dominion (1994–2001)

Capel then was head coach at Old Dominion from 1994 to 2001. Under Capel, Old Dominion won two CAA tournament championships (1995 and 1997). Old Dominion made the second round of the 1995 NCAA tournament and first round of the 1997 NCAA tournament, as well as the second round of the 1999 National Invitation Tournament. At Old Dominion, Capel had a 122–98 record.

NBA (2001–2013)

In 2001, the Fayetteville Patriots of the NBA's startup minor league National Basketball Development League (NBDL) hired Capel as head coach. Capel was head coach from 2001 to 2004; the Patriots finished first in the NBDL for the 2002–03 season and were runners-up in the 2003 NBDL Finals.

Capel then served as an assistant coach for the NBA's Charlotte Bobcats from 2004 to 2011. On November 15, 2011, it was announced that Capel was hired as an assistant coach for the Philadelphia 76ers, a position which he held until 2013.

Illness and death

On January 25, 2017, writing in The Players' Tribune, his son Jeff Capel III disclosed that Capel had been diagnosed in 2014 with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. He died on November 13, 2017, from the disease.

Head coaching record

College

Professional

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References

References

1. "Jeff Capel". NBA Development League.
2. "Meet Head Coach Jeff Capel". Old Dominion Sports.
3. (April 28, 1989). "FSU chooses Capel for dual positions".
4. "Jeff Capel Coaching Record | College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com".
5. "BOBCATS: Bobcats Name Jeff Capel Assistant Coach".
6. "76ers hire Capel as assistant coach".
7. (26 January 2017). "The Tree".
8. "Former A&T basketball coach Jeff Capel Jr. Dies at 64".
9. (April 18, 1991). "Fayetteville State Basketball Statistics - Season 1990-91". NCAA.org.
10. "Final 1993 Division II Men's Basketball Statistics Report". NCAA.org.