{{short description|American basketball coach (born 1971)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=June 2025}} {{Infobox college coach | name = Dwayne Stephens | image = | alt = | caption = | image_upright = | current_title = | current_team. = | current_conference = | current_record = | contract = | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1971|7|19}}<ref name=birthday>{{cite web|url=https://www.coachesdatabase.com/dwayne-stephens/|title=Dwayne Stephens|website=coachesdatabase.com|access-date=July 29, 2024}}</ref> | birth_place = Ferndale, Michigan | death_date = | death_place = | alma_mater = | player_years1 = 1989–1993 | player_team1 = Michigan State | admin_years1 = | admin_team1 = | coach_years1 = 1997–1999 | coach_team1 = Oakland (assistant) | coach_years2 = 1999–2003 | coach_team2 = Marquette (assistant) | coach_years3 = 2003–2022 | coach_team3 = Michigan State (assistant) | coach_years4 = 2022–2026 | coach_team4 = Western Michigan | coach_years5 = | coach_team5 = | coach_years6 = | coach_team6 = | overall_record = {{winpct|42|84|record=y}} | bowl_record = | tournament_record = | championships = | awards = | coaching_records = }} '''Dwayne Jerome Stephens''' (born July 19, 1971)<ref name=birthday /> is an American basketball coach who was most recently the men's head coach for the Western Michigan Broncos. Previously, he was an assistant and associate head coach at Michigan State for 19 years.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Paul |first=Tony |title=MSU's Dwayne Stephens a 'home run hire' as Western Michigan men's basketball coach |url=https://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/college/michigan-state-university/2022/04/04/michigan-state-dwayne-stephens-western-michigan-broncos-basketball-coach/7271383001/ |access-date=2022-04-05 |website=The Detroit News |language=en-US}}</ref>
==Playing career== Stephens played basketball at Michigan State from 1989 to 1993 under Spartan legend Jud Heathcote.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Dwayne Stephens College Stats |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/players/dwayne-stephens-2.html |access-date=2022-04-05 |website=College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref> He was a four-year letter winner for the Spartans and was a third-team Basketball Weekly's Freshman All-America Team. In his junior year, he averaged 11.2 points and five rebounds. In his senior season, he was co-captain for the Spartans and averaged 9.1 points and 5.6 rebounds per game.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Dwayne Stephens - M. Basketball Coach |url=https://msuspartans.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/coaches/dwayne-stephens/1123 |access-date=2022-04-05 |website=Michigan State University Athletics |language=en}}</ref> He was named to Basketball Weekly's Honorable Mention All-Midwest Team. He played three professional seasons in Europe.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |date=2022-04-04 |title=New WMU men’s hoops coach Dwayne Stephens ‘an all-star’ hire, says former boss Tom Izzo |url=https://www.mlive.com/broncos/2022/04/new-wmu-mens-hoops-coach-dwayne-stephens-an-all-star-hire-says-former-boss-tom-izzo.html |access-date=2022-04-05 |website=mlive |language=en}}</ref>
==Coaching career== Stephens began his coaching career as an assistant for two season at Oakland from 1997 to 1999. He then joined former Tom Izzo assistant Tom Crean at Marquette and went to the Final Four in 2003 with Marquette star Dwyane Wade.<ref name=":1" /> Stephens then joined his alma mater, Michigan State and its Hall of Fame head coach Tom Izzo, as an assistant in 2003.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Solari |first=Chris |title=Michigan State basketball assistant Dwayne Stephens to coach Western Michigan |url=https://www.freep.com/story/sports/college/michigan-state/spartans/2022/04/04/michigan-state-basketball-dwayne-stephens-western-michigan-broncos/7271882001/ |access-date=2022-04-05 |website=Detroit Free Press |language=en-US}}</ref> He was named associate head coach in 2012.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Dwayne Stephens promoted to associate head coach |url=https://msutoday.msu.edu/news/2012/dwayne-stephens-promoted-to-associate-head-coach |access-date=2022-04-05 |website=MSUToday {{!}} Michigan State University |language=en}}</ref>
On April 4, 2022, Stephens, who had been considered for the position in 2020,<ref name=":0" /> accepted the head coaching position at Western Michigan.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Knight (SpartyOnHuskers) |first=Kevin |date=2022-04-05 |title=Longtime Michigan State assistant Dwayne Stephens leaves for Western Michigan |url=https://www.btpowerhouse.com/2022/4/5/23011024/longtime-michigan-state-assistant-dwayne-stephens-leaves-for-western-michigan |access-date=2022-04-05 |website=BT Powerhouse |language=en}}</ref>
Following the end of the 2026 season, Stephens was fired from the head coach position at WMU.<ref>{{Cite web |title=WMU parts ways with head men's basketball coach Dwayne Stephens|url=https://wwmt.com/sports/content/western-michigan-university-parts-ways-with-head-mens-basketball-coach-dwayne-stephens-mac-tournament|access-date=March 24, 2026|date=March 10, 2026|first=Donny|last=Ede|website=WWMT Kalamazoo}}</ref> He was 42–84 overall in four seasons.
==Head coaching record== {{CBB Yearly Record Start|type=coach|conference =|postseason=|poll=both}} {{CBB Yearly Record Subhead | name = Western Michigan | conference = MAC | startyear = 2022 | endyear = 2026 }} {{CBB Yearly Record Entry | championship = | season = 2022–23 | name = Western Michigan | overall = 8–23 | conference = 4–14 | confstanding = 12th | postseason = }} {{CBB Yearly Record Entry | championship = | season = 2023–24 | name = Western Michigan | overall = 12–20 | conference = 9–9 | confstanding = T–6th | postseason = }} {{CBB Yearly Record Entry | championship = | season = 2024–25 | name = Western Michigan | overall = 12–20 | conference = 9–9 | confstanding = T–6th | postseason = }} {{CBB Yearly Record Entry | championship = | season = 2025–26 | name = Western Michigan | overall = 10–21 | conference = 4–14 | confstanding = T–11th | postseason = }} {{CBB Yearly Record Subtotal | name = Western Michigan | overall = {{Winning percentage|42|84|record=y}} | confrecord = {{Winning percentage|26|46|record=y}} | }} {{CBB Yearly Record End | overall = {{Winning percentage|42|84|record=y}} }}
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== *[https://wmubroncos.com/staff-directory/dwayne-stephens/1511 Western Michigan profile]
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Stephens, Dwayne}} Category:1971 births Category:Living people Category:American men's basketball coaches Category:American men's basketball players Category:Basketball coaches from Michigan Category:Basketball players from Oakland County, Michigan Category:People from Ferndale, Michigan Category:Michigan State Spartans men's basketball players Category:Michigan State Spartans men's basketball coaches Category:Western Michigan Broncos men's basketball coaches Category:Oakland Golden Grizzlies men's basketball coaches Category:Marquette Golden Eagles men's basketball coaches Category:20th-century American sportsmen