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Earl Timothy Cone (born December 14, 1957) is an American professional basketball coach who leads Barangay Ginebra San Miguel in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) and the Philippine men's national team. He is the most accomplished coach in PBA history with 25 titles including two Grand Slams, five Coach of the Year awards, and the most coaching wins with over 1,000.
Cone was a proponent of the triangle offense.
Cone returned to the United States when he was 18 to study at Menlo College in California and the George Washington University in Washington D.C. After college, Cone worked at a bank in San Francisco before returning to the Philippines at 24.
Cone was barred from coaching in the 1991 PBA All-Filipino Conference due to a February 1990 case filed by the Basketball Coaches Association of the Philippines questioning the alien employment permit given to Cone by the Department of Labor and Employment. The group's complaints stemmed from Article 40 of the Labor Code that only allows the hiring of a foreigner only after determining that no Philippine resident is competent, able, and willing to perform services at the time of application. The Supreme Court of the Philippines ruled against General Milling Corporation, Cone's corporate employer, in April 1991. He was temporarily replaced that time by assistant coach Chot Reyes. Cone was able to return to PBA coaching when he gained permanent resident status after his August 1991 marriage to Filipina girlfriend Cristina "Cris" Viaplana. Cone and Alaska won their first championship by defeating Ginebra San Miguel in the 1991 Third Conference. That team was led by Jojo Lastimosa, Eugene Quilban and Paul Alvarez.
After several struggles, Cone's team would have a strong group of locals Lastimosa, Johnny Abarrientos, Bong Hawkins, Jeffrey Cariaso and Poch Juinio, while having import Sean Chambers for the Milkmen. From 1994 to 1998, the Milkmen won eight titles in 14 conferences during the stretch. The highlight of that run, though, would come in the 1996 season when Alaska won the coveted PBA Grand Slam, becoming the third franchise and the fourth team to win a Grand Slam in the history of the league. While Alaska continued to dominate by adding Kenneth Duremdes in 1997. Duremdes, playing a limited role with the Pop Cola franchise, rose up to the occasion in 1998 under Cone's tutelage, winning the PBA Most Valuable Player Award at 24 years of age. That year, Cone was hired as the coach of the Philippine Centennial Team led by Duremdes, Abarrientos, Lastimosa, three players on Cone's Alaska team, and PBA stars Alvin Patrimonio, Marlou Aquino, Vergel Meneses, Allan Caidic, with defensive anchor Andy Seigle and rising star Olsen Racela. That team won a bronze medal in the 1998 Asian Games in Bangkok, Thailand.
Alaska won the 2000 All-Filipino Cup, but afterwards, the team faced rebuilding and traded away several remnants of the old Alaska. Cone, however, would lead the young team of John Arigo and Ali Peek to runner-up finishes in the 2002 Governors' and All-Filipino Cup. A year later, the Aces added UAAP star Mike Cortez and Brandon Cablay, leading Alaska to the 2003 PBA Invitational Cup championship, Cone's 11th title.
On July 17, 2006, Manila Standard reported that after his 17 years of service, Alaska is set to terminate Cone depending on a meeting between both parties after Cone's contract with the Aces expired on July 15. Rumors also speculated that his replacement will be his former assistant, former National team mentor Chot Reyes, with Cone staying on as team consultant.
However, a day later, the Aces' official website reported that Cone has agreed to a new deal to stay on as the team's head coach for the 2006–07 PBA season. Terms of the contract were not disclosed.
On September 14, 2011, Tim Cone was at the B-Meg Llamados practice that day and was introduced as the new head coach. He tapped former Alaska players Johnny Abarrientos and Jeffrey Cariaso as assistant coaches. The two new assistant coaches were joined by current assistant coach Koy Banal.
On May 6, 2012, the Llamados won the 2012 PBA Commissioner's Cup championship 4–3 over defending champion Talk 'N Text Tropang Texters. This was Cone's 14th title, and his first with B-Meg.
On October 25, 2013, the Llamados, under Cone's tutelage, won the PBA Governors' Cup championship, after beating Petron Blaze Boosters. By winning the season-ending best-of-seven series 4–3, the former Purefoods ballclub won its second championship over the last five conferences and more importantly the 15th career title for Cone, putting the veteran coach in the company of the great Baby Dalupan at the top of the all-time list.
On February 26, 2014, Cone won his 16th PBA title as he guided the Mixers to their 11th title against the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters. They beat the E-Painters in six games. With this win, he broke legendary Baby Dalupan's record. On May 15, 2014, San Mig Coffee Mixers beat the Talk N' Text Tropang Texters in Game 4 of a best-of-five series, where San Mig earned the chance to capture the rare Grand Slam. This championship gave Tim Cone his 17th PBA title. He clinched his 18th title, and again made history by being the first mentor to win two Grand Slams after he steered San Mig Coffee to become Grand Slam Champions while accomplishing four straight championships and grabbing the 2014 Governor's Cup title.
On October 4, 2016, Cone led Brgy. Ginebra to its first finals appearance since 2013. Ginebra defeated sister team San Miguel Beermen in a do-or-die Game 5, 117–92. Ginebra went on to face the Meralco Bolts in the finals and winning in six games (4–2), giving the team its first championship after 8 years of drought. Cone later led Ginebra to six more championships.
On November 18, 2022, he recorded his 1000th win, the most wins for a PBA coach.
Cone was appointed to coach the national team for the 2023 Asian Games after Chot Reyes stepped down shortly following the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup. Despite taking over on short notice, Cone was able to lead the team to a gold medal finish in the continental competition, their first since the 1962 Asian Games.
in Alaska Franchise (13):
| Alaska | 1989 | 56 | 26 | 26 | .500 | Third place |
| Alaska | 1990 | 59 | 29 | 30 | .491 | Finals |
| Alaska | 1991 | 56 | 31 | 25 | .554 | Champions |
| Alaska | 1992 | 47 | 21 | 26 | .446 | Semifinals |
| Alaska | 1993 | 39 | 18 | 21 | .461 | Semifinals |
| Alaska | 1994 | 73 | 45 | 28 | .616 | Champions |
| Alaska | 1995 | 75 | 46 | 29 | .613 | Champions |
| Alaska | 1996 | 72 | 51 | 21 | .708 | Champions |
| Alaska | 1997 | 60 | 35 | 25 | .583 | Champions |
| Alaska | 1998 | 66 | 41 | 25 | .621 | Champions |
| Alaska | 1999 | 56 | 32 | 24 | .571 | Finals |
| Alaska | 2000 | 49 | 31 | 18 | .633 | Champions |
| Alaska | 2001 | 46 | 23 | 23 | .500 | Semifinals |
| Alaska | 2002 | 59 | 31 | 28 | .525 | Finals |
| Alaska | 2003 | 56 | 31 | 25 | .554 | Champions |
| Alaska | 2004–05 | 45 | 24 | 21 | .533 | Quarterfinals |
| Alaska | 2005–06 | 48 | 24 | 24 | .500 | Third place |
| Alaska | 2006–07 | 53 | 30 | 23 | .566 | Champions |
| Alaska | 2007–08 | 47 | 25 | 22 | .532 | Semifinals |
| Alaska | 2008–09 | 46 | 25 | 21 | .543 | Finals |
| Alaska | 2009–10 | Lost 2010 Philippine Cup finals Won 2010 Fiesta Conference finals | ||||
| Alaska | 2010–11 | Lost 2011 Philippine Cup quarterfinals Lost 2011 Commissioner's Cup quarterfinals Lost 2011 Governors' Cup semifinals | ||||
| B-Meg | 2011–12 | Lost 2012 Philippine Cup quarterfinals Won 2012 Commissioner's Cup finals Lost 2012 PBA Governors' Cup finals | ||||
| San Mig Coffee | 2012–13 | Lost 2013 Philippine Cup semifinals Lost 2013 Commissioner's Cup semifinals Won 2013 Governors' Cup finals | ||||
| San Mig Super Coffee | 2013–14 | Won 2014 Philippine Cup finals Won 2014 Commissioner's Cup finals Won 2014 Governors' Cup finals | ||||
| Star | 2014–15 | Lost 2015 Philippine Cup quarterfinals Lost 2015 Commissioner's Cup semifinals Lost 2015 Governors' Cup semifinals | ||||
| Barangay Ginebra | 2015–16 | Lost 2016 Philippine Cup quarterfinals Lost 2016 Commissioner's Cup quarterfinals Won 2016 Governors' Cup finals | ||||
| Barangay Ginebra | 2016–17 | Lost 2017 Philippine Cup finals Lost 2017 Commissioner's Cup semifinals Won 2017 Governors' Cup finals | ||||
| Barangay Ginebra | 2017–18 | Lost in 2018 Philippine Cup semifinals Won 2018 Commissioner's Cup finals Lost in 2018 Governor's Cup semifinals | ||||
| Barangay Ginebra | 2018–19 | Lost in 2019 Philippine Cup quarterfinals Lost in 2019 Commissioner's Cup semifinals Won 2019 Governors' Cup finals | ||||
| Barangay Ginebra | 2020 | Won 2020 Philippine Cup finals | ||||
| 25 championships |
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