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 said Monday.
The Passing of a Titan
Adelman, the father of Denver Nuggets coach David Adelman, was 79. Details of how he died have yet to be released by his family.
According to ESPN, 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.
— Denver Nuggets (@nuggets) June 2, 2026
“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.”
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver referred to him as “a brilliant strategist and teacher of the game, but an even finer person” in his remarks in recognition of Adelman.
In their tribute, the Kings described Adelman as “someone who will always be remembered not only for his coaching style, but more importantly, for how he positively impacted those around him, with class, integrity, humility and a belief in the strength of teamwork.”
An Accidental Genius
Adelman played in the NBA from 1969 to 1975 as a point guard for five different teams. However, his entry into the NBA as a coach was accidental.
He believed he would be a high school coach although his inexperience prevented him from achieving that goal. He began his coaching stint in Chemeketa Community College, Salem, Oregon.
“We had great success there,” Adelman said in his Hall of Fame enshrinement speech. “The one thing I did not realize is Jack Ramsay was following my team.”
