Vinny Del Negro
A steady hand who transitioned from a reliable NBA guard to a head coach, steering teams through rebuilding years with quiet determination.
Born 1966 (age 60)·American basketball player and coach·Birthday: August 9·Generation X
Biography
Vinny Del Negro's basketball life has been defined by a consistent, workmanlike approach. Born in New York, he carved out a solid 12-year NBA career as a guard known for his smart play and reliable shooting for teams like the Sacramento Kings and San Antonio Spurs. After retiring, he moved into front-office roles before getting his first big coaching break with the Chicago Bulls in 2008. Tasked with developing a young roster featuring Derrick Rose, he led the team to back-to-back playoff appearances, a notable feat in a post-Jordan era. His subsequent stint with the Los Angeles Clippers saw him oversee the early stages of the 'Lob City' era with Blake Griffin and Chris Paul. While his coaching tenure was often debated, his path from player to analyst reflects a deep, enduring connection to the game's rhythms.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Vinny was born in 1966, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Vinny Was Born
The biggest hits of 1966
#1 Movie
The Bible: In the Beginning
Best Picture
A Man for All Seasons
#1 TV Show
Bonanza
Vinny's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1966Born
Star Trek premieres on television
Gas: $0.32/galHome: $14,200Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"The Ballad of the Green Berets" — SSgt Barry SadlerBest Picture: A Man for All Seasons
1971Started school
Voting age lowered to 18 in the US
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $18,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Joy to the World" — Three Dog NightBest Picture: The French Connection
1979Became a teenager
Iran hostage crisis begins; Three Mile Island accident
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $37,900Min wage: $2.90/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"My Sharona" — The KnackBest Picture: Kramer vs. Kramer
1982Could drive
Michael Jackson releases Thriller
Gas: $1.22/galHome: $55,200Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Physical" — Olivia Newton-JohnBest Picture: Gandhi
1984Could vote
Apple Macintosh introduced
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $59,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"When Doves Cry" — PrinceBest Picture: Amadeus
1987Turned 21
Black Monday stock market crash
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $72,400Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Walk Like an Egyptian" — The BanglesBest Picture: The Last Emperor
1996Turned 30
Dolly the sheep cloned
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $99,700Min wage: $4.75/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Macarena" — Los del RioBest Picture: The English Patient
2006Turned 40
Twitter launches; Pluto reclassified as dwarf planet
Gas: $2.59/galHome: $174,700Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Bad Day" — Daniel PowterBest Picture: The Departed
2016Turned 50
Donald Trump elected president; Brexit vote
Gas: $2.14/galHome: $181,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Love Yourself" — Justin BieberBest Picture: Moonlight
2026Turned 60
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Played 12 seasons in the NBA, averaging 9.1 points per game for his career.
- Coached the Chicago Bulls to the playoffs in both the 2008-09 and 2009-10 seasons.
- Led the Los Angeles Clippers to a 56-win season and a playoff berth in 2012-13.
- Served as a television analyst for NBA TV following his coaching career.
Did You Know?
He was selected by the Sacramento Kings in the second round (29th overall) of the 1988 NBA draft.
He played college basketball at North Carolina State University under coach Jim Valvano.
His father, Vincent, was a professional basketball player in Europe.
“The game honors the players who make the simple, correct play more often than not.”
