Paul Westhead, a former Cheltenham High School English teacher, Panthers boys’ basketball coach, and NBA/WNBA champion, has been named the recipient of the 2026 Chuck Daly Lifetime Achievement Award. 

The award honors the memory of NBA Hall of Famer Chuck Daly who “set a standard for integrity, competitive excellence, and tireless promotion of NBA basketball”, according to the National Basketball Coaches Association. 

Westhead, 87, was described by ESPN.com as “an offensive mastermind, someone whose run-and-gun philosophy changed the game.”

“Coach Westhead’s impact on the game extends far beyond wins and championships,” said J.B. Bickerstaff, the Detroit Pistons coach now serving as NBCA president. “He challenged conventional thinking, introduced ideas that were ahead of their time, and influenced generations of coaches across every level of men’s and women’s basketball. His commitment to innovation, teaching, and the growth of our game has left a lasting mark on our profession.”

Westhead is the only basketball coach in history to win both an NBA and WNBA championship. In 1980, Westhead coached the Los Angeles Lakers to the NBA title, and then 27 years later in 2007, he coached the Phoenix Mercury to the championship in the women’s professional league.

“Chuck was a good friend of mine, who helped me in my early coaching career back in Philadelphia,” Westhead said. “It was always a challenge to coach against Chuck. He usually outsmarted me, but in how to dress for the game, Chuck never came in second.”

According to local historian Chuck Langerman, Westhead’s Panthers won 66 games between 1964-1968, including a 26-1 1968 season which saw a 63-56 overtime loss to Laurel Highlands in the PIAA 4A title game. He was inducted into the 2024 Philadelphia Sports Hall of Fame in November 2024.

You can listen to his remarks below:

For all the latest news, follow us on Facebook or sign up for Glenside Local’s “Daily Buzz” newsletter here.

Photo: NBA.com