Longtime NBA coach and former Cleveland Cavaliers head coach Brendan Malone has died, the NBA announced. He was 81.
Malone, the father of Denver Nuggets head coach Michael Malone, coached 27 seasons in the NBA from 1986 to 2016, mostly serving as an assistant coach for the New York Knicks, Detroit Pistons, Indiana Pacers, Orlando Magic, and Cleveland Cavaliers. He also served as head coach of the Toronto Raptors during the 1995-96 NBA season, and served 18 games as head coach for LeBron James and the Cavaliers during the 2004-05 season.
A Nuggets representative said a family member of Malone’s confirmed his death, The Associated Press reports.
“It is with tremendous sadness that we share the passing of longtime NBA coach Brendan Malone, who holds a special place amongst the organization and will be a Denver Nugget forever,” the Nuggets said in a tweet. “Coach Brendan Malone was a great man who left behind a great legacy in the world of basketball, but he will be remembered even more for the amazing husband, father, son and grandfather that he was and the profound impact he had on the friends, family and colleagues who were lucky enough to know him. Our thoughts are with the entire Malone family and all of Brendan’s loved ones who are feeling this loss today.”
While an assistant coach with the “Bad Boy” Detroit Pistons in the 1980s, Malone is credited for championing “The Jordan Rules,” a defensive strategy meant to limit Chicago Bulls star and NBA legend Michael Jordan during the teams’ rivalry that decade.
In his 27 seasons coaching in the NBA, Malone’s teams went to the playoffs 20 times, to the Conference Finals seven times, and to the NBA Finals four times, winning the championship twice in 1989 and 1990 with the Pistons. His teams compiled a 1,165-1,001 overall record.
“The Detroit Pistons mourn the passing or former assistant coach Brendan Malone – who graced the coaching bench during two Pistons basketball era under Chuck Daly and Stan Van Gundy,” the Pistons said in a tweet. “Our thoughts are with his family and friends at this difficult time.”
