Rick Adelman, who coached his teams to more than 1,000 wins in a Naismith Hall of Fame career, has died at 79, the National Basketball Coaches Association announced Monday.
Adelman ranks 10th in NBA history with 1,042 wins as a head coach. His greatest successes came with the Portland Trail Blazers, where he spent part of his playing career in the 1970s before guiding them to Western Conference titles and NBA Finals appearances in 1990 and 1992.
Across 23 seasons as a head coach for the Blazers (1988-94), Golden State Warriors (1995-97), Sacramento Kings (1998-2006), Houston Rockets (2007-11) and Minnesota Timberwolves (2011-14), Adelman amassed a 1,042-749 record for a winning percentage of .582. His teams made the playoffs 16 times and went 79-78.
He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2021 and received the NBCA’s Chuck Daly Lifetime Achievement Award in 2023.
“Adelman will be remembered not only as a coach and a player, but also as a mentor to so many in the basketball community,” the NBCA said in a statement. “Our thoughts and prayers go out to the entire Adelman family during this difficult time.”
He played for five teams in seven NBA seasons (1968-1975), with his longest stint occurring in Portland (1970-73).
Adelman’s son David, one of his six children, is the head coach of the Denver Nuggets.
The Portland Trail Blazers also released a statement on Monday.
“The Portland Trail Blazers organization is deeply saddened by the passing of Rick Adelman, a franchise legend and Naismith Basketball Hall of Famer. Rick was one of the most influential figures in franchise history, a member of the inaugural 1970 team and integral coach throughout the 80s and 90s, guiding the team to Finals appearances in 1990 and 1992.
“Rick’s basketball brilliance helped shape multiple eras of Trail Blazers basketball, earning the respect and admiration of the basketball community and cementing his legacy. His thoughtful leadership, integrity, and kindness impacted all those around him on and off the court. We extend our heartfelt condolences to the entire Adelman family, and all those in the world of basketball who were touched by his impact.”
A cause of death was not immediately released.
