John Gabriel (basketball)

John Gabriel is the director of pro scouting and free agency for the New York Knicks in the National Basketball Association. In 2008, he became the director of scouting for the New York Knicks.^[1] He was previously a scout and administrator for the Portland Trail Blazers, and he is best known for his stint as general manager with the Orlando Magic because he helped the Magic reach the NBA Playoffs 5 times. Previously, he helped the Magic reach the NBA Playoffs two times as vice president of basketball operations and as a player personnel coach from 1994 to 96. In 2000, he won the NBA and Sport Illustrated Executuive of the Year Award, only to be dismissed in the beginning of the 2003 season. With the Magic organization, he reached the NBA Finals in 1995, won the Eastern Conference Finals in 1996, and won the Atlantic Division in 1995, 1996 and 1999. In 1987, Gabriel began his career with the Magic as the director of player personnel, director of scouting, and assistant coach. Gabriel started his coaching career with the Philadelphia 76ers working as an assistant coach, the director of video scouting, and the scouting coordinator.

With Darrell Armstrong leading the team, the Magic compiled a respectable 41-41 win-loss record and barely missed the playoffsin the 1999 season. In addition, Gabriel hired Doc Rivers as head coach of the Magic at the beginning of that season. Seen as a risky move by most experts, Rivers guided the team well and won Coach of the Year honors.

The following season, with millions in salary cap space, the Magic, led by Gabriel, pursued free agents Grant Hill, Tim Duncan, and Tracy McGrady. Ultimately, Hill and McGrady came to Orlando while Duncan decided to stay with the San Antonio Spurs. In addition, Gabriel is also known for drafting Mike Miller, who would later become Rookie of the Year.

In the 2003-04 NBA season, however, Gabriel was let go by the Magic in the middle of a franchise record 19-game losing streak. Gabriel returned to basketball in the NBA as an executive and scout first for the Portland Trail Blazers then for the New York Knicks. He revealed in 2012 that he had been suffering from Parkinson's Disease.^[2][3]

Gabriel is a 1978 graduate of Kutztown State Teachers College (now Kutztown University of Pennsylvania), where he played basketball. He was inducted into the school's Athletics Hall of Fame in 2006.^[4]

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