Former NBA Coach of the Year dies at 81

Apr 1987; Portland, OR, USA: FILE PHOTO; Portland Trail Blazers head coach Mike Schuler on the sideline during the 1987 season at Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: USA TODAY Sports

A former NBA Coach of the Year has passed away, his old team announced.

The Portland Trail Blazers said in a statement this week that their former head coach Mike Schuler died at the age of 81.

Schuler coached the Blazers for three seasons from 1986 to 1989 and earned Coach of the Year honors in 1988. He had a stellar record of 127-84 (.602) in Portland, coaching All-Stars such as Clyde Drexler, Kevin Duckworth, Terry Porter, and Kiki Vandeweghe. Schuler would also go on to be head coach of the LA Clippers for two seasons on top of serving as an NBA assistant for 14 total seasons.

Additionally, the Ohio native Schuler was coach of the Blazers when they were purchased by Paul Allen, who just passed away a few years ago too.