How Did Rick Adelman Die? Real Cause of Death and Inside His Incredible Legacy as Basketball Coach

Legendary basketball coach Rick Adelman has died at 79, the National Basketball Coaches Association announced on Monday. He is survived by his wife of 56 years, Mary Kay, five children including Denver Nuggets coach David Adelman, and 12 grandchildren. His cause of death has not been released, per ESPN.

'Adelman will be remembered not only as a coach and a player, but also as a mentor to so many in the basketball community,' stated the NBCA, which gave him the Chuck Daly Lifetime Achievement Award, one of the highest honours a basketball coach can receive, in 2023.

Rick Adelman Named One of the Greatest NBA Coaches

'Rick Adelman's NBA coaching career has been highlighted by innovation, integrity and excellence,' Indiana coach Rick Carlisle said at the time. '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.'

Rick Adelman racked up 1,042 regular-season wins, making him the 10th most victorious coach in NBA history. Only four other coaches—Pat Riley, Gregg Popovich, Jerry Sloan, and George Karl—coached more games with a better winning percentage than Adelman.

He took the Portland Trail Blazers to the NBA Finals twice, losing to Detroit in 1990 and Chicago in 1992. Adelman was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2021 for his outstanding contributions to basketball.

Peers and Players Honour Rick Adelman's Legacy

Outside of his career achievements, colleagues and players also remember his mentorship, professionalism, excellence, and integrity. NBA commissioner Adam Silver said Adelman was 'a brilliant strategist and teacher of the game, and an even better person,' attesting to his enduring legacy.

One of Adelman's many protégés is Philadelphia 76ers guard Kyle Lowry, who remembered how the coach inspired him to aspire and achieve. 'He actually challenged me and poured into trusting me,' Lowry recalled.

'That was important for me. He didn't have to,' he added. 'He could have done everything else, he could have played other players, but he believed in me. ... He just trusted his players. He just wanted to win. And if it wasn't for him, I don't know what career I would have. It's a sad day.'

How Adelman Earned His Place in NBA History

While peers see Adelman as a natural leader who can rally teams under pressure, he actually found his calling as NBA coach almost by serendipity.

He played as a point guard for five teams from 1969 to 1975, while also eyeing a career as a high school coach. He found success and fulfilment coaching at Oregon's Chemeketa Community College.

'We had great success there,' Adelman said in 2021, during his Hall of Fame acceptance speech. 'The one thing I did not realise is Jack Ramsay was following my team.'

As coach of the Portland Trail Blazers, Ramsay endorsed Adelman for an assistant position in 1983. Mentored by Ramsay and Mike Schuler, Adelman became interim coach, leading the Trail Blazers for the rest of the 1988-89 season.

In Sacramento, he built an innovative motion offence around Chris Webber, Vlade Divac, Peja Stojakovic, Doug Christie, and Mike Bibby. The Kings peaked in 2002 with 61 wins but lost to the Lakers in seven games in the Western Conference Finals.

Adelman also engineered Houston's 22-game winning streak in 2008, the fourth-longest streak in NBA history. 'Coach Adelman guided the Rockets with professionalism, integrity, and a deep commitment to the game,' the Rockets said in a release.