The NBA world is mourning the loss of Hall of Fame coach Rick Adelman, who died Monday at the age of 79, the National Basketball Coaches Association announced.Adelman built one of the most respected coaching careers in league history, winning more than 1,000 games across nearly three decades on the sidelines while helping shape multiple eras of NBA basketball.NBA commissioner Adam Silver paid tribute to Adelman shortly after the news broke.Rick Adelman was one of the most respected and accomplished coaches in the history of the NBA, Silver said in a statement. Following his NBA career, Rick turned to coaching where his leadership, innovation and genuine love for basketball left a lasting impression on generations of players and fellow coaches over his nearly 30-year run. He was a brilliant strategist and teacher of the game, and an even better person.I send my deepest condolences to Ricks family and many friends throughout the league.Before becoming one of the leagues winningest coaches, Adelman spent seven seasons as an NBA player after entering the league with the San Diego Rockets in 1968.He later transitioned into coaching, first joining the Portland Trail Blazers as an assistant in 1983 before eventually becoming the franchises head coach in 1988.Adelman quickly turned Portland into a powerhouse, leading the Trail Blazers to two NBA Finals appearances during the early 1990s behind Clyde Drexler.The first came in 1990 against the Detroit Pistons, while the second came two years later against Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls.Related Article: Donald Trump Set to Attend NBA FinalsHis longest and perhaps most beloved coaching stint came with the Sacramento Kings, where he spent eight seasons and guided the franchise to the playoffs every single year. Under Adelman, Sacramento became one of the NBAs most entertaining teams and reached the Western Conference Finals during the 2001-02 season.Adelman later coached the Houston Rockets and Minnesota Timberwolves before retiring in 2014 with a 1,042-749 career record, ranking 10th on the NBAs all-time wins list. He was inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in 2021 and received the Chuck Daly Lifetime Achievement Award from the NBCA in 2023.He is survived by his wife, Mary Kay, and their six children, including Denver Nuggets head coach David Adelman.READ MORE: Spurs Fan Suffers Tragic Brain Injury During Celebrations
