Rick Adelman

Richard Leonard Adelman was born on June 16, 1946, in Lynwood, California, to Gladys and Leonard Joseph Adelman, a family rooted in the working values of North Dakota. From the courts of Pius X High School in Downey to the hardwood of Loyola Marymount University, Rick discovered early that basketball was not merely a game — it was a way of seeing the world. At Loyola Marymount, he earned WCAC MVP honors in 1967–68, was twice named All-Conference, and finished eighth on the school's all-time scoring list with 1,415 points. The San Diego Rockets selected him in the seventh round of the 1968 NBA Draft, and he went on to play seven seasons as a point guard for five franchises, appearing in 462 games. When his playing days ended in 1975, Adelman turned to coaching with the same quiet intensity he had brought to the court. He compiled a remarkable 141–39 record at Chemeketa Community College in Salem, Oregon, and then spent six seasons as an assistant under the legendary Jack Ramsay in Portland before taking over as the Trail Blazers' head coach in 1989. Over 23 NBA seasons leading five franchises — Portland, Golden State, Sacramento, Houston, and Minnesota — he won 1,042 games, a .582 winning percentage, and 16 playoff appearances. He guided Portland to the NBA Finals in 1990 and 1992, led the Sacramento Kings to eight consecutive playoff appearances including a thrilling 2002 Western Conference Finals run, and orchestrated a 22-game winning streak with the Houston Rockets in 2008, the third-longest in league history. His signature "corner offense" was admired league-wide, but what teammates and players remembered most was the man behind the clipboard. Rick never called out a player publicly — every correction was a private conversation, a teaching moment, a gesture of respect. Known for his quiet, unassuming nature, he tailored his approach to each individual, believing that understanding people was the highest skill a coach could possess. Beyond basketball, Rick was a devoted husband and father. He and his wife Mary Kay raised six children — Kathy, R.J., Laura, David, Caitlin, and Patrick — and shared 56 years of marriage. In 1993, the family opened their home to Patrick and Caitlin after Mary Kay's sister passed away. In his later years, Rick remained steadfastly at Mary Kay's side as she navigated a seizure disorder, his loyalty as unwavering off the court as his coaching record was on it. In 2021, Rick was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. He was honored with the NBCA Chuck Daly Lifetime Achievement Award in 2023. He passed away on June 1, 2026, at age 79, in Portland, Oregon — the city he had made his home and his legacy. He is survived by his wife Mary Kay, five children, and 12 grandchildren.