Paul Silas, three-time NBA champion who coached the league for greater than three a long time, has died, according to long boston globe columnist Bob Ryan. Silas was 79 years previous.
Silas, often called one of many main rebounding and defensive forwards of his period, performed within the NBA for 16 seasons after being drafted within the second spherical by the Hawks in 1964. Regardless of a lukewarm begin to his profession, he grew to become a machine double-double in stints with the Suns and Celtics, the 2 groups he spent nearly all of his time as a participant with.
Silas received two NBA championships (1974, 1976) in Boston in addition to one with the SuperSonics in 1979. He was named an All-Star twice, in 1972 and 1975, and was an All-Defensive participant 5 occasions, profitable the first-team honors twice (1975 and 1976) and second-team honors 3 times (1971-73).
Silas ended his taking part in profession in Seattle, the place he received his third and remaining championship ring in 1979. He retired after the 1979–80 season, averaging 9.4 factors and 9.9 rebounds in 1,254 profession video games.
Previous to taking part in within the NBA, Silas grew to become a budding star at Creighton. He set an NCAA document for many three-season rebounds and averaged 20.6 rebounds per sport within the 1962–63 season. Silas was inducted into the School Basketball Corridor of Fame in 2017 and his No. 35 jersey was retired by Creighton.
After his days on the pitch as a participant, Silas moved on to the sidelines the place he coached for the higher a part of three a long time. He was head coach of the San Diego Clippers, Charlotte and New Orleans Hornets, Cleveland Cavaliers and Charlotte Bobcats, and he additionally labored as an assistant with the Nets, Knicks and Suns.
Maybe most notably, Silas was the primary NBA coach for famous person LeBron James whereas he was with the Cavaliers throughout the 2003-04 season. Silas was fired 64 video games into the 2004-05 marketing campaign and by no means made the playoffs in Cleveland.
Silas led 4 totally different Hornets groups to the playoffs between 1999 and 2003. The furthest he superior within the playoffs as a coach was the convention semifinals.
Silas, the daddy of present Rockets coach Stephen Silas, completed his teaching profession with an general document of 387-488.