Nick Nurse
UNI 150: People you should know
Once a Panther, now an NBA champion coach
Nick Nurse’s path from University of Northern Iowa three-point marksman to NBA champion head coach is a story of tireless work and Panther Pride carried all the way to basketball’s biggest stage.
In his first year as head coach of the Toronto Raptors, Nurse and his team won the NBA title in 2019. With the title, UNI became just one of three schools in the nation to boast both an NBA champion head coach and a Super Bowl MVP among its alumni.
Long before he was hoisting NBA championship trophies, Nurse was lighting up the scoreboard in the West Gym.
From 1985 to 1989, he gained his place in UNI history as one of the Panthers’ best shooters. By the time he graduated in 1990 with a degree in accounting, he was the school’s all-time leader in three-point shooting at nearly 47% percent. He was also selected as the squad’s most valuable player and honored as the American Cancer Society’s “Favorite Panther” in 1998.
His older brother played baseball for the Panthers and the early campus visits left an impression on Nick. “My brothers were always my biggest influence in athletics,” Nurse told the Northern Iowan in 1986. “I would often come to UNI to visit my brother Ken.”
When his collegiate career ended, he served as a student assistant coach at UNI for the 1989-1990 season, helping guide the Panthers to their first-ever NCAA Tournament appearance.
At just 23 years old, Nurse became the youngest collegiate head coach in the country when he took over at Grand View University. He then coached overseas for 11 seasons in the British Basketball League, winning two championships and earning two Coach of the Year awards.
Returning to the United States in 2007, Nurse took over as head coach of the Iowa Energy, winning a championship and Coach of the Year in 2011.
In 2013, he joined the Toronto Raptors as an assistant coach, playing a key role in transforming the franchise. In 2018, he was promoted to head coach and led Toronto to its first NBA championship and was named the NBA’s Coach of the Year.
During the post-championship game interview, Nurse reflected on the long road he took from G-League coaching to NBA Coach of the Year.
“Those jobs all meant the world to me at that time,” he said. “I would hope it inspires some people who are in those situations to keep working.”
The championship title carried a special meaning back to his university. Today, Nurse continues his NBA coaching journey as head coach of the Philadelphia 76ers, a role he took on in 2023.
Nick Nurse playing for the UNI men's basketball team (1985-1989).
Celebrate 150 years of the University of Northern Iowa by nominating individuals who have made a significant impact on our campus, community and beyond.
