Former NBA Coach Dr. Jack Ramsay Passes Away at 89
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Jupiterimages/Thinkstock(NEW YORK) — Former NBA coach Dr. Jack Ramsay passed away Monday in his sleep. He was 89.
The Hall of Fame coach had battled cancer for more than a decade and a half, but family members said he died peacefully in his sleep.
Ramsay coached for 20 years in the NBA, leading the Portland Trail Blazers to the 1977 NBA championship. He made the playoffs 16 times during that era while compiling a record of 864-783. Ramsay also won a title as general manager of the Philadelphia 76ers during the 1966-67 season.
“The entire ESPN family is saddened by the loss of our beloved NBA analyst Dr. Jack Ramsay,” ESPN president John Skipper said in a statement. “It was our great pleasure to work with Dr. Jack and his energy and zest for life resonated in all that he did. He leaves an amazing legacy of helping fans understand and appreciate the game he loved.”
He was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1992. Ramsay also served as an ESPN NBA analyst as recently as last season.
His funeral is scheduled for Thursday.
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