http://www.charlotteobserver.com/292/story/714867.html
Hall of Fame basketball coach Chuck Daly, who guided the Detroit Pistons to a pair of NBA titles and was the head coach of the original "Dream Team" for the 1992 Olympics, died Saturday morning. He was 78 years old.
Daly, who had been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in February, died at his home in Jupiter, Florida.
"The Daly family and the entire Detroit Pistons and Palace Sports and Entertainment family is mourning the loss of Chuck Daly," family spokesman and Pistons Vice President of Public Relations Matt Dobek said. "Chuck left a lasting impression with everyone he met, both personally and professionally, and his spirit will live with all of us forever."
Daly's Pistons won to back-to-back NBA championships in 1989 and 1990. In the summer of '92, he was at the helm of possibly the greatest collection of basketball talent ever assembled when a team led by Michael Jordan, Larry Bird and Magic Johnson won Olympic gold at the Barcelona Olympics.
In nine seasons with the Pistons from 1983-92, Daly left his mark as the winningest coach in franchise history with a record of 467-271. The team reached the playoffs in each of his nine seasons.
Daly's first stop in the NBA was with Cleveland, where he lasted all 41 games in the 1981-82 season. The Cavaliers were just 9-32 when he was fired.
However, after his successful run with Detroit, Daly also coached the New Jersey Nets and Orlando Magic. The Nets were 88-73 and reached the playoffs in both of Daly's seasons with the team, while the Magic tied for the division title in his second and last season with the club.
Overall, Daly finished with an NBA coaching record of 638-437 in 14 seasons with 12 playoff appearances.
Daly was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1994.
Prior to his pro coaching career, Daly spent eight seasons at the collegiate level with Boston College and Pennsylvania. After two years at BC, Daly went to Penn for the 1971-72 season.
The Quakers were 25-3 in Daly's first year, won the Ivy League title and reached the regional final of the NCAA Tournament before losing to North Carolina. Penn won four Ivy League crowns in Daly's six seasons and had a record of 125-38.
A graduate of Bloomsburg University in his native Pennsylvania, Daly began his coaching career at Punxsutawney High School. He was an assistant at Duke for seven seasons and was also an assistant in the NBA with the Philadelphia 76ers under Billy Cunningham.
Daly is survived by his wife, Terry, a daughter and two grandchildren
Hall of Fame basketball coach Chuck Daly, who guided the Detroit Pistons to a pair of NBA titles and was the head coach of the original "Dream Team" for the 1992 Olympics, died Saturday morning. He was 78 years old.
Daly, who had been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in February, died at his home in Jupiter, Florida.
"The Daly family and the entire Detroit Pistons and Palace Sports and Entertainment family is mourning the loss of Chuck Daly," family spokesman and Pistons Vice President of Public Relations Matt Dobek said. "Chuck left a lasting impression with everyone he met, both personally and professionally, and his spirit will live with all of us forever."
Daly's Pistons won to back-to-back NBA championships in 1989 and 1990. In the summer of '92, he was at the helm of possibly the greatest collection of basketball talent ever assembled when a team led by Michael Jordan, Larry Bird and Magic Johnson won Olympic gold at the Barcelona Olympics.
In nine seasons with the Pistons from 1983-92, Daly left his mark as the winningest coach in franchise history with a record of 467-271. The team reached the playoffs in each of his nine seasons.
Daly's first stop in the NBA was with Cleveland, where he lasted all 41 games in the 1981-82 season. The Cavaliers were just 9-32 when he was fired.
However, after his successful run with Detroit, Daly also coached the New Jersey Nets and Orlando Magic. The Nets were 88-73 and reached the playoffs in both of Daly's seasons with the team, while the Magic tied for the division title in his second and last season with the club.
Overall, Daly finished with an NBA coaching record of 638-437 in 14 seasons with 12 playoff appearances.
Daly was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1994.
Prior to his pro coaching career, Daly spent eight seasons at the collegiate level with Boston College and Pennsylvania. After two years at BC, Daly went to Penn for the 1971-72 season.
The Quakers were 25-3 in Daly's first year, won the Ivy League title and reached the regional final of the NCAA Tournament before losing to North Carolina. Penn won four Ivy League crowns in Daly's six seasons and had a record of 125-38.
A graduate of Bloomsburg University in his native Pennsylvania, Daly began his coaching career at Punxsutawney High School. He was an assistant at Duke for seven seasons and was also an assistant in the NBA with the Philadelphia 76ers under Billy Cunningham.
Daly is survived by his wife, Terry, a daughter and two grandchildren