As assistant coach: Steven Gerald Clifford (born September 17, 1961) is an American professional basketball coach and executive who serves as a front office advisor for the Charlotte Hornets of the National Basketball Association (NBA).

[1] He played varsity basketball under Gerald Clifford, his father and head coach at North Country Union High School in Newport, Vermont.

[2][3] Clifford attended the University of Maine at Farmington, where he played college basketball for four years.

[5] Clifford became an NBA assistant coach with the New York Knicks and Houston Rockets under Jeff Van Gundy and quickly developed a reputation as a defensive expert.

He was named Eastern Conference Coach of the Month for April 2014 after he led the Bobcats to a 7–1 record leading to the playoffs.

[9][10] On January 11, 2018, the Hornets announced that Clifford was medically cleared to return to coaching[11] after a 21-game absence after dealing with sleep deprivation.

[20] On April 3, 2024, the Hornets announced that Clifford would step down as head coach at the end of the 2023-24 season and move into a front-office advisory role.