Chuck Daly won back-to-back NBA championships with the Detroit Pistons (1989-90) and coached the original Dream Team to a gold medal in the 1992 Barcelona Olympics. (Duane Burleson/Associated Press)
Posted on 05/09/2009 9:16:09 AM PDT by SeekAndFind
JUPITER, Fla., May 9 (UPI) -- Chuck Daly, who coached the Detroit Pistons to back-to-back NBA titles, died Saturday of pancreatic cancer at the age of 78.
Daly, who was diagnosed with cancer in March, died in Jupiter, Fla., surrounded by his family.
Known as the ultimate players coach, Daly led the Pistons to NBA titles in 1989 and 1990 and coached the original Dream Team to the Olympic gold medal in 1992.
Daly affectionately earned the nickname "Daddy Rich" for his perfectly fitting dapper suits, The Detroit Free Press reported Saturday. "Tailoring covers your sins," Daly once said.
Daly, who joined the Pistons in 1983, was skilled at managing players' egos, including those of Isiah Thomas, Bill Laimbeer and Dennis Rodman, who called Daly "God" and viewed him as a father figure, the Free Press said.
Born in St. Mary's, Pa., Daley coached high school basketball before becoming an assistant at Duke University and a head coach at Boston College and Penn.
Daly left the Pistons following the 1992 season and coached two seasons each with New Jersey and Orlando, making the playoffs three times before he retired.
Anyone who could keep Dennis Rodman under control was a genius.
Daly had a tough persona but he was smart and knew how to put together a team that would put fans in the seats both at home and on the road.
A sad loss for the basketball community.
RIP, Daly — prayers for the family and friends.
Wasn’t Daly an assistant coach with the Sixers under Billy Cunningham? That would have been after Penn and before the Pistons, of course.
Rodman was still a player while at Detroit. The side-show didn’t really start until later.
You definitely gave me a good chuckle on that one.
Rodman was a bit strange when he play with the Pistons, but who could have forseen where that would go.
Being from Detroit, that was still a good time to watch basketball. With the Celtics in it, and the Bulls,among others, it was truly an exciting game.
Chuck Daly was a class act and received great respect from the players.
RIP
Oh Rodman was a sideshow too in Detroit. He would always have a new hair color. Rodman respected Daly and stayed within the bounds.
That late 80’s early 90’s period was a great time for the NBA. The Pistons championship team was definitely a big part of that and holds alot of memories for me even as a Bulls fan.
Prayers.
RIP.
Tribute To Hall Of Fame Coach Chuck Daly (Video)http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=4154115&categoryid=2378529
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