23-year NBA head coach and Sacramento Kings legend Rick Adelman has died at age 79.
Adelman joined the Kings franchise in the 1998-99 season after tenures with both the Portland Trail Blazers and Golden State Warriors, and he immediately made an impact in Sacramento. In eight seasons as the Kings’ head coach, the franchise made eight consecutive playoff appearances, with no losing seasons while he was in Sacramento.
The Kings’ franchise has made just nine playoff appearances in the last three decades, and eight of those came under Adelman. To say he is the greatest coach in franchise history would honestly be an understatement, as he gave the Kings their best years ever and birthed a generation of Sacramento fans who are still cheering on the franchise today.
Adelman’s Kings tenure was headlined by the 2001-02 season, in which he led the team to a franchise-best 61-21 record, with their only Western Conference Finals appearance in the Sacramento era. Sure, they lost to the Los Angeles Lakers in a controversial WCF series, coming just one win short of the NBA Finals, but it was a legendary run that will always be remembered.
After the announcement of Adelman’s death on Monday, the Kings’ social media account released a statement.
“The Sacramento Kings organization is deeply saddened by the passing of Rick Adelman, a beloved coach whose leadership, character, and vision helped define an era of Kings basketball that inspired our city and captivated fans around the world.
During his eight seasons in Sacramento, he led the team to unprecedented success and helped create some of the most memorable moments in franchise history. For an entire generation of Kings fans, Coach Adelman represented the very best of Sacramento basketball, and he will be remembered for the way he inspired those around him – with humility, integrity, kindness, and an unwavering belief in the power of teamwork. His leadership helped establish a culture that continues to resonate throughout our organization today.
Our thoughts are with Mary Kay, his family, friends, former players, and all who loved him.”
This is obviously crushing news for the Kings’ organization about such a legendary figure, but his legacy will undoubtedly live on in Sacramento and across the league.
NBA commissioner Adam Silver also released a statement following Adelman’s death, calling him one of the “most respected and accomplished coaches in the history of the NBA.”
“Rick Adelman was one of the most respected and accomplished coaches in the history of the NBA. Following his NBA playing 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 Rick’s family and many friends throughout the league,” Silver said.
After such a memorable coaching career, Adelman enjoyed retirement from coaching for over a decade, which included watching his son, David Adelman, follow in his footsteps as an NBA head coach. Adelman will certainly be remembered as a Kings legend and, hands down, the greatest coach in franchise history.
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