Doug Gottlieb’s Unique Game Plan as UWGB Men’s Basketball Coach

The sports talk radio host steps into his first coaching role with big goals and a promise to build a family-centered program in Green Bay

Basketball season is about to kick off across Wisconsin. And the University of Wisconsin Green Bay (UWGB) is welcoming a new men’s basketball coach. Doug Gottlieb has a unique game plan, too. He is embarking on ambitious goals, both with the team, and as host of The Doug Gottlieb Show on Fox Sports Radio. It will mean some quick shifts from the studio to the court. And he believes his sports insight and energy will lead the Phoenix toward a winning season.  

Gottlieb tells NEWisco Weekend correspondent Konrad Krueger, his offer for the UWGB head coaching role came in an unforgettable fashion. 

“My show starts at 2 p.m. local time, noon in Los Angeles, and I get a call while I’m on air,” Gottlieb explains. “Everybody who knows me knows not to call me then. When I saw his call, I texted him back, ‘radio show,’ but then during the break, I returned the call. It turned into a career-defining moment.” 

Gottlieb was offered the coaching job by the UWGB administration, which he officially accepted just days later, on May 14, 2024. By May 15, he was being introduced at a news conference as UWGB’s new head coach.

His career shift raised a few eyebrows at the time. His background is as a college basketball analyst and radio host rather than a college basketball coach. But for those who know him, the move makes perfect sense. And his plans for UWGB reflect what he describes as a modern basketball approach. Gottlieb is calling for an up-tempo game that maximizes perimeter play and three-point shooting. 

“We’re gonna play a style you’re really gonna like,” he says. “We’ll get up and down, and if we take shots in the middle, unless they make them, the player will come out of the game.”

Gottlieb’s vision for the program reaches beyond basketball. He hopes to attract players who are invested in the Green Bay community and are eager to stay and grow with the program. 

“I tell every kid I recruit that your act of faith in playing for me will last forever,” Gottlieb shares. “My commitment to players will extend well beyond their time on the team. It’s my job to take care of you for the rest of your life. You’re part of my basketball family.”

The Phoenix will tip off the schedule with a game at Oklahoma State, then play at home on November 8 against Saint Thomas. A game scheduled on November 19 against SIUE will be hosted at the Resch Center. 

And for Gottlieb, these games are more than just the start of his first season. It’s also the first step in building a community-centric, championship-caliber basketball program in Green Bay.