06/01/26 06:34:00
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06/01 18:32 CDT Hall of Famer Rick Adelman, who won more than 1,000 games and
took 2 teams to NBA Finals, dies at 79
Hall of Famer Rick Adelman, who won more than 1,000 games and took 2 teams to
NBA Finals, dies at 79
By TIM REYNOLDS
AP Basketball Writer
Rick Adelman, a Basketball Hall of Fame inductee who played for seven NBA
seasons before becoming one of the game's all-time winningest coaches, has
died, the National Basketball Coaches Association announced Monday.
Adelman, the father of Denver Nuggets coach David Adelman, was 79. The cause of
his death was not immediately announced.
Rick Adelman won 1,042 games as an NBA coach, 10th-most in league history. Only
four other coaches --- Pat Riley, Gregg Popovich, Jerry Sloan and George Karl
--- coached more games and had a better winning percentage than Adelman, who
took the Portland Trail Blazers to the NBA Finals twice and also was head coach
in Sacramento, Houston, Minnesota and Golden State.
"Adelman will be remembered not only as a coach and a player, but also as a
mentor to so many in the basketball community," read a statement from the
coaches' association, which honored Adelman with its Chuck Daly Lifetime
Achievement Award in 2023.
"Rick Adelman's NBA coaching career has been highlighted by innovation,
integrity and excellence," Indiana coach Rick Carlisle said when the NBCA
presented that award three years ago. "His teams always played to their
strengths, and Rick always found subtle ways to reinvent NBA basketball to help
his players thrive. His quiet, unassuming nature belies his impact as one of
the great NBA coaches of all time."
Adelman also played in the NBA from 1969 through 1975 as a point guard for five
different teams --- but found his calling as a coach.
The Kings, in paying tribute, said Adelman "will be remembered for the way he
inspired those around him --- with humility, integrity, kindness, and an
unwavering belief in the power of teamwork."
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