Dr. Jack Ramsay was much more than a NBA head coach or a great analyst after he retired from the game in 1988, he was teacher on and off the court. The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame inductee passed away on Monday after a long battle with cancer. He was 89.
He was transcendent in terms of philosophy on the court, including a high-tempo offense and zone defense, two things that are commonplace around the NBA today. Ramsay, who led the Portland Trail Blazers to the NBA championship in 1977, began his coaching career with his alma mater, St. Joseph’s College, in 1971. He became the Philadelphia 76ers general manager in 1966, leading them to a championship in his very first season.
Dr. Jack, as he is known around the basketball community, coached 20 years in the NBA, eventually hanging it up in 1988 after pacing the sideline for the Indiana Pacers for two years.
As part of the NBA’s 50th anniversary celebration in 1996-1997, Ramsay was named one of the 10-best coaches in the history of the game.
Upon retiring from coaching, Ramsay became the voice of multiple NBA teams as an announcer for the Philadelphia 76ers and Miami Heat before joning ESPN and ESPN Radio.
The late head coach contributed a lot of his success on and off the court to his time in the Navy during World War II, via ESPN
I learned how important physical conditioning is. I learned how to focus on an objective in spite of all kinds of hazards. I learned how to deal with stress, too..If you make a wrong move with explosives, it could be deadly.
If you’re there when they blow up the beach, you get blown up, too. So you need to get your job done correctly … then pull the fuse with enough lag time for you to clear the area completely and get picked up by the small boats.
Hall of Fame player and former pupil under Ramsay, Bill Walton, had this to say about his former coach, via Oregon Live.
We all love Jack Ramsay, and we could never thank him enough for what he’s done…He’s just such a phenomenal example of what a full life can possibly engulf.
These sentiments have been repeated over and over again from others around the game.
Rest in peace Jack Ramsay: One of the best coaches the NBA has ever known, and one of the finest gentlemen too.
— Steve Kerr (@SteveKerr) April 28, 2014
Saddened to hear of the passing of Dr. Jack Ramsay. His passion and smarts for basketball could only be topped by his greatness as a person.
— Linda Cohn (@lindacohn) April 28, 2014
R.I.P Dr. Jack Ramsay, one of the NBA's greatest ambassadors. His voice, his personality, his everything will be sorely missed
— Chris Mannix (@SIChrisMannix) April 28, 2014
The world has lost a true basketball legend – former Pacers coach & Hall of Famer Dr. Jack Ramsay. #DrJack pic.twitter.com/spOFCCZeOK
— Indiana Pacers (@Pacers) April 28, 2014
RIP Dr Jack Ramsay: there were few better coaches, even fewer better Men. I can only hope to age as gracefully as this truly lovable guy.
— Bob Ryan (@GlobeBobRyan) April 28, 2014
We will leave you with this…
Photo: Bleacher Report