Men's Basketball
- Title:
- Director of Basketball Operations
- Email:
- william_peterson@baylor.edu
- Phone:
- 3096
Bill Peterson spent sevenΒ season on the Baylor menβs basketball staff, fiveΒ as a special assistant to the head coach. Peterson joined the program as director of basketball operations on June 13, 2017, bringing more than a decade of NBA experience to the Bears.
Peterson came to Baylor following three years as head coach of the NBA G-Leagueβs Erie BayHawks, an Orlando Magic affiliate. Prior to joining the BayHawks, he spent six seasons as an assistant coach with the NBAβs Milwaukee Bucks from 2007-13.
BaylorΒ posted a 167-72Β record during Petersonβs timeΒ on staff, including a 128-35Β mark over the last four seasons. The Bears posted 124Β Big 12 Conference wins in that span.Β
In his time at Baylor, the BearsΒ had sevenΒ selections in the NBA Draft includingΒ four-straight top-19Β picks (Davion Mitchell β9th in 2021, Jeremy Sochan β9th in 2022, Keyonte George β 16th in 2023 and Ja'Kobe Walter β 2024). The Bears were the only program with fourΒ players picked in the top-19Β in 2021, 22, 23 and 24 drafts. BUβs sevenΒ selections since 2017 wereΒ theΒ most in the State of Texas during that span.
Baylor went 27-7 and won a share of a second-straight Big 12 title in 2022. The Bears went 28-2 record on their way to the 2021 National Championship, and BU was 26-4 in 2019-20 when the season was cut short due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Baylor was ranked No. 1 nationally for five weeks in 2019-20 and two weeks in 2020-21, including the final poll of the season.
Peterson was an assistant coach for the NBAβs Milwaukee Bucks for six seasons from 2007-13, and he was a player development coach and scout for the Dallas Mavericks from 1999-2000. While with the Mavs, Peterson worked to develop Steve Nash, Dirk Nowitzki, Greg Buckner and Michael Finley. He also served as a special assistant with the Golden State Warriors.
In addition to his NBA background, Peterson has 18 years of experience as a collegiate assistant and seven more years as a collegiate head coach. Prior to joining the Baylor staff as director of basketball operations in 2017, he spent seven seasons as associate head coach at Colorado State University (2007-13), seven years as assistant head coach at McNeese State (1987-94) and two years as assistant head coach at Bossier Parish (La.) Community College (1997-99).
Β Β Peterson gained experience as a head coach for three seasons at University of Alabama-Huntsville (1994-97) and four seasons at Union (Ky.) College (1983-87).
Β Β Petersonβs coaching career began as a student assistant at St. Petersburg (Fla.) Junior College in 1978-79, and he served as graduate assistant at Louisiana Tech (1980-83), where he coached Hall of Famer Karl Malone.
Β Β A 1979 graduate of Eckerd (Fla.) College, Peterson also has a masterβs degree in physical education and human relations from Louisiana Tech. He and his wife Diane, are the parents of three daughters -- Kati, Ginny and Hailey, who was called to be with the Lord in the summer of 2000.
