Orlando, Fla. – The Orlando Magic have named Mike Batiste, Tyrone Corbin, Pat Delany, Steve Hetzel and Bruce Kreutzer assistant coaches, President of Basketball Operations Jeff Weltman announced Tuesday. Per team policy, terms of the deals are not disclosed. Delany, Hetzel and Batiste will serve on the coaching staff under Steve Clifford, who was named head coach of the Magic on May 30.
In addition, the Magic have added Rick Higgins as associate coach/player development, Mark Jenkins as assistant video coordinator and promoted Lionel Chalmers to head video coordinator.
Batiste joins Orlando after spending last season (2017-18) as an assistant coach with the Charlotte Hornets under Clifford. He came to Charlotte after serving as a player development assistant with the Brooklyn Nets in 2016-17 and two seasons (2014-16) as an assistant coach with the Canton Charge of the NBA G League.
Prior to his coaching career, Batiste played professionally for 14 seasons, including one season (2002-03) in the NBA with the Memphis Grizzlies. He spent 10 years with Panathinaikos of the Greek Basket League, helping lead the club to eight consecutive league championships and earning the league’s MVP award in 2010. Batiste also won three EuroLeague championships (2007, 2009 and 2011), garnered All-EuroLeague First Team honors in 2011 and was named All-EuroLeague Second Team in 2012. He also had professional stints with clubs in Belgium, Italy and Turkey.
A native of Long Beach, Calif., Batiste played collegiately for three seasons (1996-99) at Arizona State University, earning All-Pac-10 First Team honors during his final campaign in 1998-99.
Batiste and his wife, Sarah, have a son, Michael, and a daughter, Sydney.
Corbin comes to Orlando with nearly 30 years of NBA experience as both a player and a coach. Most recently, he spent the last two seasons (2016-18) as an assistant coach with the Phoenix Suns.
Prior to joining Phoenix, Corbin spent the 2014-15 campaign as an assistant coach with the Sacramento Kings, before being named interim head coach for 28 games (7-21 record). He was relieved of his duties on February 12, 2015 and remained with the organization as an advisor.
Corbin began his coaching career with the Utah Jazz, joining the staff in 2004. He spent seven seasons (2004-11) as an assistant coach before succeeding Jerry Sloan as the team’s head coach in 2010-11. Corbin spent three-plus seasons (2011-14) as head coach of the Jazz, compiling a record of 112-146 (.434). Utah had a winning record in two of his three full seasons at the helm and made the NBA Playoffs in 2012.
Originally selected in the second round (35th overall) of the 1985 NBA Draft by San Antonio, Corbin played 16 seasons in the NBA. He appeared in 1,065 career regular season games (458 starts) with San Antonio, Cleveland, Phoenix, Minnesota, Utah, Atlanta, Sacramento, Miami and Toronto, averaging 9.2 ppg., 4.7 rpg., 1.8 apg. and 1.15 stlpg. in 26.0 minpg. Corbin also played in 81 career playoff games (43 starts), averaging 8.4 ppg., 5.0 rpg. and 1.4 apg. in 27.5 minpg.
A native of Columbia, S.C., Corbin graduated from DePaul University. He and his wife, Dante, have two children, TyJha and Tyrell.
Delany joins Orlando after spending four seasons (2014-18) as an assistant coach with the Charlotte Hornets under Clifford. He came to Charlotte after spending the 2013-14 campaign as head coach of the Sioux Falls Skyforce of the NBA G League. During his lone season with Sioux Falls, Delany led the Skyforce to a 31-19 record, tied for the second-best mark in the league and posted the fifth-best winning percentage in the franchise’s 25-year history.
Prior to his time at Sioux Falls, the G League affiliate of the Miami Heat, Delany spent 11 seasons with the Heat, including six seasons as advance scout (2007-13) and four as video coordinator (2003-07). He began with Miami as a video intern in 2002-03.
Before his time with the Heat, Delany spent part of the 2001-02 season as a video intern for the Boston Celtics and spent five summers as a basketball camp counselor at places including the University of North Carolina, University of Notre Dame and his alma mater, Saint Anselm College, a Division II school in New Hampshire.
Delany played four seasons at Saint Anselm, where he finished his career as the school’s all-time leader in assists with 731. He graduated with a degree in business administration.
Delany and his wife, Jackie, have three children, Rylan, Lila May and Rosalie.
Hetzel comes to Orlando after spending four seasons (2014-18) as an assistant coach with the Charlotte Hornets under Clifford. He joined Charlotte after spending the 2013-14 campaign as head coach of the Canton Charge of the NBA G League. During his lone season with Canton, Hetzel led the Charge to a 28-22 record, finishing second in the East division and posted the second-best winning percentage in franchise history.
Before his time at Canton, Hetzel spent four seasons (2009-13) as player development coach with the Detroit Pistons. In that role, he was responsible for identifying individual strengths and weaknesses, creating a specific progression plan and monitoring players’ growth throughout the season. During his tenure with the Pistons, three players received NBA All-Rookie honors – Jonas Jerebko (Second Team, 2010), Greg Monroe (Second Team, 2011) and Brandon Knight (First Team, 2012).
Prior to Detroit, Hetzel spent three seasons (2006-09) as video coordinator for the Cleveland Cavaliers. His career began in 2005-06 as an assistant video coordinator with the San Antonio Spurs. Hetzel graduated from Michigan State University in 2005, earning a bachelor’s degree in kinesiology with a specialization in coaching and served as a student manager for the men’s basketball team.
Hetzel and his wife, Anne, have three children, Aden, Selah and Jackie.
Kreutzer comes to Orlando after spending three seasons (2015-18) as an assistant coach with the Charlotte Hornets under Clifford. He joined Charlotte after serving as a shooting consultant for the NBA G League (2008-11) and Philadelphia 76ers (2008-10).
Kreutzer joined former NBA All-Star Mark Price in forming the Mark Price Shooting Lab at Suwanne Sports Academy in 2006, where he was lead shooting instructor and player development coach. He also was head coach of the Atlanta Vision of the ABA for two seasons (2006-08), where the team won the Southern Division and made an Elite Eight appearance.
Prior to his time in the ABA, Kreutzer served as an assistant coach at both Queens University in Charlotte, helping them reach the NCAA Division II Final Four in 2003, as well as UNC Charlotte. He was head coach at Garinger High School, where he led the team to the 4A Boys North Carolina State High School Championship in 1989. Kreutzer was also post graduate head coach at Massanutten Military Academy in Woodstock, Va., developing more than 20 Division I players during his tenure.
A graduate of SUNY-New Paltz, Kreutzer earned his bachelor’s degree in social sciences. He and his wife, Nancy, have two children, Jennifer and Kevin, as well as four grandchildren, Kaitlin, Ashley, Carter and Mackenzie.
