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{{Short description|American basketball player and coach (1931–2021)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2021}}
{{Infobox basketball biography
{{Infobox basketball biography
| name = Stan Albeck
| name = Stan Albeck
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| weight_lb =
| weight_lb =
| nationality = American
| nationality = American
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1931|5|17}}
| birth_date = {{birth date|1931|5|17}}
| birth_place = [[Chenoa, Illinois]]
| birth_place = [[Chenoa, Illinois]], U.S.
| death_date = {{death date and age|2021|3|25|1931|5|17}}
| high_school = Chenoa (Chenoa, Illinois)
| high_school = Chenoa (Chenoa, Illinois)
| college = [[Bradley Braves men's basketball|Bradley]] (1950–1952, 1954–1955)
| college = [[Bradley Braves men's basketball|Bradley]] (1950–1952, 1954–1955)
| draft_year = 1955
| draft_year = 1955
| career_position = [[Guard (basketball)|Guard]]
| coach_start = 1956
| coach_start = 1956
| coach_end = 2002
| coach_end = 2002
Line 19: Line 23:
| cteam2 = [[Northern Michigan Wildcats men's basketball|Northern Michigan]]
| cteam2 = [[Northern Michigan Wildcats men's basketball|Northern Michigan]]
| cyears3 = 1968–1970
| cyears3 = 1968–1970
| cteam3 = [[Denver Pioneers men's basketball|University of Denver]]
| cteam3 = [[Denver Pioneers men's basketball|Denver]]
| cyears4 = 1970–1973
| cyears4 = 1970–1973
| cteam4 = [[Denver Rockets]] (assistant)
| cteam4 = [[Denver Rockets]] (assistant)
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| cyears16 = {{nbay|2000|start}}–{{nbay|2001|end}}
| cyears16 = {{nbay|2000|start}}–{{nbay|2001|end}}
| cteam16 = [[Toronto Raptors]] (assistant)
| cteam16 = [[Toronto Raptors]] (assistant)
| highlights =
⚫
| highlights = * [[Missouri Valley Conference Men's Basketball Coach of the Year|MVC Coach of the Year]] (1988)
'''As head coach:'''
* [[Missouri Valley Conference men's basketball tournament|MVC tournament]] champion ([[1988 Missouri Valley Conference men's basketball tournament|1988]])
* [[Missouri Valley Conference|MVC]] regular season champion (1988)
⚫
* [[Missouri Valley Conference Men's Basketball Coach of the Year|MVC Coach of the Year]] (1988)
}}
}}
'''Charles Stanley Albeck''' (born May 17, 1931) is a former professional [[basketball]] coach. Albeck has coached for several teams in the [[American Basketball Association]] (ABA) and [[National Basketball Association]] (NBA), including the [[Denver Rockets]], the [[San Diego Conquistadors]], (often subbing for an absent [[Wilt Chamberlain]]), the [[Cleveland Cavaliers]], the [[San Antonio Spurs]], the [[New Jersey Nets]], and the [[Chicago Bulls]].
'''Charles Stanley Albeck''' (May 17, 1931 – March 25, 2021) was an American professional [[basketball]] coach. Albeck coached for several teams in the [[American Basketball Association]] (ABA) and [[National Basketball Association]] (NBA), including the [[Denver Rockets]], the [[San Diego Conquistadors]], (often subbing for an absent [[Wilt Chamberlain]]), the [[Cleveland Cavaliers]], the [[San Antonio Spurs]], the [[New Jersey Nets]], and the [[Chicago Bulls]].


==Early life==
==High school and college education==
Albeck graduated from Chenoa High School in [[Chenoa, Illinois]] and received his bachelor's degree at [[Bradley University]] in 1955 and his masters at [[Michigan State University]] in 1957.<ref name=autogenerated1>''Who's Who in the World'' 1987–1988 edition. p. 14</ref> He married Phyllis L. Mann in 1952 and they have five children.
Albeck was born in [[Chenoa, Illinois]], on May 17, 1931. He attended Chenoa High School in his hometown.<ref name="BR coach"/> He subsequently obtained a bachelor's degree at [[Bradley University]] in 1955 and his master's at [[Michigan State University]] in 1957.<ref name=autogenerated1>''Who's Who in the World'' 1987–1988 edition. p. 14</ref>


==Coaching career==
==Coaching career==
⚫
Albeck began his coaching at [[Adrian College]] in [[Adrian, Michigan]].<ref name=autogenerated1 /> His next head coaching job was at [[Northern Michigan University]]. Albeck was head coach at the [[University of Denver]] from 1968 to 1970. He was the head coach of the [[Denver Rockets]] during most of the 1970–1971 season. The Rockets had begun the season under head coach [[Joe Belmont]], but Belmont was fired after the team lost 10 of its first 13 games. Albeck replaced Belmont as the Rockets' head coach.<ref name=autogenerated2>[http://www.remembertheaba.com/Denver-Rockets.html Remember the ABA: Denver Rockets<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> The Rockets went 27–44 under Albeck to finish the season with a record of 30 wins and 54 losses. They tied the [[Texas Chaparrals]] for fourth place in the Western Division (28 games behind the [[Indiana Pacers]]) and on April 1, 1971, lost a one-game playoff to the Chaparrals, 115–109, to determine who would advance into the ABA Western Division semifinals.<ref>[http://www.remembertheaba.com/PlayoffPages/1971Playoffs.html Remember the ABA: 1970–71 Regular Season Standings and Playoff Results<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> During the season Denver's average home attendance dropped to 4,139 fans per game from 6,281 the year before.<ref name=autogenerated2 /> One week after the playoff loss, on April 8, 1971, Albeck was replaced by [[Alex Hannum]] as Denver's head coach. Hannum resigned as coach of the [[San Diego Rockets]] to become the Rockets' head coach, general manager and president. Albeck then became player personnel director for the Rockets.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.remembertheaba.com/DenverMaterial/RocketsNuggetsYearly.html |title=Remember the ABA: Denver Rockets/Nuggets Year-by-Year Notes |access-date=March 5, 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030828221052/http://www.remembertheaba.com/DenverMaterial/RocketsNuggetsYearly.html |archive-date=August 28, 2003 }}</ref> During the 1972–1973 season Albeck was an assistant coach for the [[San Diego Conquistadors]] under head coach [[K.C. Jones]]. Albeck also served as director of player personnel for the Conquistadors. During most of the 1973–74 season, he served under 'Qs' head coach Wilt Chamberlain. Chamberlain missed a few games, during which Albeck filled in as the Conquistadors' head coach, winning all of them.<ref>[http://www.remembertheaba.com/San-Diego-Conquistadors.html Remember the ABA: San Diego Conquistadors<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>
He began his coaching at [[Adrian College]] in [[Adrian, Michigan]].<ref name=autogenerated1 />


Albeck was an assistant coach for the [[Kentucky Colonels]] during the 1974–1975 season in which the team won the [[1975 ABA Playoffs|1975 ABA Championship]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/KEN/1975.html|title=1974–75 Kentucky Colonels Roster and Stats|work=Basketball-Reference.com|publisher=Sports Reference LLC|access-date=March 26, 2021}}</ref> He returned as an assistant coach with the Colonels during their final season in 1975–1976.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/KEN/1976.html|title=1975–76 Kentucky Colonels Roster and Stats|work=Basketball-Reference.com|publisher=Sports Reference LLC|access-date=March 26, 2021}}</ref> Albeck served as assistant coach of the [[Los Angeles Lakers]] from 1976 until 1979. He went on to become head coach of the [[Cleveland Cavaliers]] from 1979 to 1980. He was the [[San Antonio Spurs]]' head coach for three seasons from 1980 to 1983. During his tenure, he won NBA Coach of the Month in March 1983.<ref name="BR coach"/><ref>{{Cite web|title=NBA Coaches of the Month|url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/awards/com.html|access-date=March 22, 2021|website=Basketball-Reference.com|language=en}}</ref> After the Spurs job, Albeck was the head coach of the [[New Jersey Nets]] from 1983 until 1985.
Albeck's next head coaching job was at [[Northern Michigan University]].


Albeck subsequently served as head coach of the [[Chicago Bulls]] for one season.<ref name="BR coach"/> He and general manager [[Jerry Krause]] immediately butted heads over issues including his refusal to put [[Phil Jackson]] on his coaching staff, not benching [[Quintin Dailey]] for conduct issues, and most of all, not following the minutes restrictions set once [[Michael Jordan]] returned from injury. His exit from Chicago raised eyebrows around the NBA as his replacement, Doug Collins, had been hired by general manager Jerry Krause just 2 months beforehand as a scout. The hire of Collins was kept a secret from Albeck, who was "stunned" by the move and felt that there was "a lack of respect, dignity and sensitivity".<ref name=Sakamoto>{{cite news|title=Chicago Bulls fire first-year coach Stan Albeck in 1986, who was 'stunned': 'There was a lack of respect, dignity and sensitivity|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1986-05-20-8602060248-story.html|first=Bob|last=Sakamoto|date=May 20, 1986|access-date=March 26, 2021|newspaper=Chicago Tribune}}</ref> At the time of his dismissal, he had the fourth-best record among active NBA coaches.<ref name=Sakamoto/> His all-time coaching percentages was .535 in his 7 years as a head coach in the NBA.<ref name="BR coach"/>
Albeck was head coach at the [[University of Denver]] from 1968 to 1970.


Albeck went on to serve as head coach for [[Bradley University]], his alma mater, from 1986 through 1991.<ref name=Osborn1>{{cite news|title=Former Spurs coach Stan Albeck dies at 89|url=https://www.expressnews.com/sports/spurs/article/Former-Spurs-coach-Stan-Albeck-dies-at-89-16054249.php|first=Tom|last=Osborn|date=March 25, 2021|access-date=March 26, 2021|newspaper=San Antonio Express-News}}</ref> During his tenure, the team finished the 1988 regular season in first place. They were also champions of the [[Missouri Valley Conference men's basketball tournament|Missouri Valley Conference tournament]] and advanced to the [[1988 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament|NCAA tournament]] that same year.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/coaches/stan-albeck-1.html|title=Stan Albeck Coaching Record|work=College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com|publisher=Sports Reference LLC|access-date=March 26, 2021}}</ref> Albeck was a member of the [[Sigma Chi]] [[Fraternities and sororities|Fraternity]], as well as a Significant Sig and a member of their Significant Sig Hall of Fame.<ref>{{cite web|title=Sigma Chi – Significant Sigs (Sports)|url=https://www.shsu.edu/~eng_wpf/ss_sports.html|access-date=March 26, 2021|publisher=Sam Houston State University}}</ref>
⚫
He was the head coach of the [[Denver Rockets]] during most of the 1970–1971 season. The Rockets had begun the season under head coach [[Joe Belmont]], but Belmont was fired after the team lost 10 of its first 13 games. Albeck replaced Belmont as the Rockets' head coach.<ref name=autogenerated2>[http://www.remembertheaba.com/Denver-Rockets.html Remember the ABA: Denver Rockets<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> The Rockets went 27–44 under Albeck to finish the season with a record of 30 wins and 54 losses. They tied the [[Texas Chaparrals]] for fourth place in the Western Division (28 games behind the [[Indiana Pacers]]) and on April 1, 1971 lost a one-game playoff to the Chaparrals, 115–109, to determine who would advance into the ABA Western Division semifinals.<ref>[http://www.remembertheaba.com/PlayoffPages/1971Playoffs.html Remember the ABA: 1970–71 Regular Season Standings and Playoff Results<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> During the season Denver's average home attendance dropped to 4,139 fans per game from 6,281 the year before.<ref name=autogenerated2 /> One week after the playoff loss, on April 8, 1971, Albeck was replaced by [[Alex Hannum]] as Denver's head coach. Hannum resigned as coach of the [[San Diego Rockets]] to become the Rockets' head coach, general manager and president. Albeck then became player personnel director for the Rockets.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.remembertheaba.com/DenverMaterial/RocketsNuggetsYearly.html |title=Archived copy |access-date=2007-03-05 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030828221052/http://www.remembertheaba.com/DenverMaterial/RocketsNuggetsYearly.html |archive-date=2003-08-28 }}</ref>


After serving as an assistant coach for the [[Atlanta Hawks]], Albeck was an assistant coach for the [[Toronto Raptors]].<ref name="BR coach"/> He suffered a debilitating [[stroke]] in December 2001, approximately half an hour before a home game against the [[Miami Heat]].<ref name=Osborn2>{{cite news|title=Former Spurs coach Stan Albeck in hospice care|url=https://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/spurs/article/Former-Spurs-coach-Stan-Albeck-in-hospice-care-16053392.php|first=Tom|last=Osborn|date=March 25, 2021|access-date=March 26, 2021|newspaper=San Antonio Express-News}}</ref> This left him partially paralyzed and forced him to retire. He remained in rehabilitation until his death. He often attended games at [[AT&T Center]] with his son.<ref name=Osborn1/>
During the 1972–1973 season Albeck was an assistant coach for the [[San Diego Conquistadors]] under head coach [[K.C. Jones]]. Albeck also served as director of player personnel for the Conquistadors. During most of the 1973–74 he served under 'Ques' head coach Wilt Chamberlain. Chamberlain missed a few games, during which Albeck filled in as the Conquistadors' head coach, winning all of them.<ref>[http://www.remembertheaba.com/San-Diego-Conquistadors.html Remember the ABA: San Diego Conquistadors<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>


==Personal life==
Albeck was an assistant coach for the [[Kentucky Colonels]] during the 1974–1975 season in which the team won the [[1975 ABA Playoffs|1975 ABA Championship]].<ref>[http://i6.ebayimg.com/07/i/000/81/b4/de12_1.JPG]</ref> Albeck returned as an assistant coach with the Colonels during their final season in 1975–1976.<ref>[http://i5.ebayimg.com/06/i/000/85/b2/24fa_1.JPG]</ref>
Albeck married Phyllis L. Mann in 1952. Together, they had five children. They remained married until her death in 2017.<ref name=Osborn1/>


Shortly after being placed in hospice care, Albeck died March 25, 2021, at the age of 89. He had suffered a stroke two weeks prior to his death.<ref name=Osborn1/><ref name=AP>{{cite news|title=Stan Albeck, longtime NBA coach, dies at 89 in hospice care|url=https://apnews.com/article/nba-toronto-new-jersey-san-antonio-spurs-chicago-7618eb8c14b1a006a5f02c8ff6d95553|date=March 26, 2020|access-date=March 26, 2021|work=Associated Press}}</ref>
He was assistant coach of the [[Los Angeles Lakers]], 1976–1979.

Albeck was head coach of the [[Cleveland Cavaliers]], 1979–1980.

He was the [[San Antonio Spurs]]' head coach for three seasons, from 1980 to 1983, where he won NBA Coach of the Month in March of 1983<ref>{{Cite web|title=NBA Coaches of the Month|url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/awards/com.html|access-date=2021-03-22|website=Basketball-Reference.com|language=en}}</ref>.

After the Spurs job, Albeck was the head coach of the [[New Jersey Nets]] from 1983 to 1985.

Next, Albeck was head coach of the [[Chicago Bulls]], 1985–1986. His exit from Chicago raised eyebrows around the NBA as his replacement, Doug Collins, had been hired by General Manager Jerry Krause just 2 months beforehand as a scout. The hire of Collins was kept a secret from Albeck.

From 1986 through 1991 Albeck was head coach for [[Bradley University]], his alma mater. He is a member of the [[Sigma Chi]] [[Fraternities and sororities|Fraternity]], as well as a Significant Sig and a member of their Significant Sig Hall of Fame.

His all time coaching percentages is .535 for his 7 years as a head coach in the NBA.

After serving as an assistant coach for the [[Atlanta Hawks]], Albeck was as an assistant coach for the [[Toronto Raptors]] in 2001 when he suffered a debilitating [[stroke]], which left him partially paralyzed. He has been in rehabilitation since then.


==Head coaching record==
==Head coaching record==
Line 88: Line 83:
{{NBA coach statistics start}}
{{NBA coach statistics start}}
|-
|-
| align="left" |[[Cleveland Cavaliers|CLE]]
| align="left" |[[1979–80 Cleveland Cavaliers season|Cleveland]]
| align="left" |{{nbay|1979}}
| align="left" |{{nbay|1979}}
|82||37||45||.451|| align="center" |4th in Central||&mdash;||&mdash;||&mdash;||&mdash;
|82||37||45||.451|| align="center" |4th in Central||&mdash;||&mdash;||&mdash;||&mdash;
| align="center" |Missed Playoffs
| align="center" |Missed Playoffs
|-
|-
| align="left" |[[San Antonio Spurs|SAS]]
| align="left" |[[1980–81 San Antonio Spurs season|San Antonio]]
| align="left" |{{nbay|1980}}
| align="left" |{{nbay|1980}}
|82||52||30||.634|| align="center" |1st in Midwest||7||3||4||.429
|82||52||30||.634|| align="center" |1st in Midwest||7||3||4||.429
| align="center" |Lost in [[1981 NBA Playoffs|Conf. Semifinals]]
| align="center" |Lost in [[1981 NBA Playoffs|Conf. semifinals]]
|-
|-
| align="left" |SAS
| align="left" |[[1981–82 San Antonio Spurs season|San Antonio]]
| align="left" |{{nbay|1981}}
| align="left" |{{nbay|1981}}
|82||48||34||.585|| align="center" |1st in Midwest||9||4||5||444
|82||48||34||.585|| align="center" |1st in Midwest||9||4||5||444
| align="center" |Lost in [[1982 NBA Playoffs|Conf. Finals]]
| align="center" |Lost in [[1982 NBA Playoffs|Conf. Finals]]
|-
|-
| align="left" |SAS
| align="left" |[[1982–83 San Antonio Spurs season|San Antonio]]
| align="left" |{{nbay|1982}}
| align="left" |{{nbay|1982}}
|82||53||29||.646|| align="center" |1st in Midwest||11||6||5||.545
|82||53||29||.646|| align="center" |1st in Midwest||11||6||5||.545
| align="center" |Lost in [[1983 NBA Playoffs|Conf. Finals]]
| align="center" |Lost in [[1983 NBA Playoffs|Conf. Finals]]
|-
|-
| align="left" |[[New Jersey Nets|NJN]]
| align="left" |[[1983–84 New Jersey Nets season|New Jersey]]
| align="left" |{{nbay|1983}}
| align="left" |{{nbay|1983}}
|82||45||37||.549|| align="center" |4th in Atlantic||11||5||6||.455
|82||45||37||.549|| align="center" |4th in Atlantic||11||5||6||.455
| align="center" |Lost in [[1984 NBA Playoffs|Conf. Semifinals]]
| align="center" |Lost in [[1984 NBA Playoffs|Conf. semifinals]]
|-
|-
| align="left" |NJN
| align="left" |[[1984–85 New Jersey Nets season|New Jersey]]
| align="left" |{{nbay|1984}}
| align="left" |{{nbay|1984}}
|82||42||40||.512|| align="center" |3rd in Atlantic||3||0||3||.000
|82||42||40||.512|| align="center" |3rd in Atlantic||3||0||3||.000
| align="center" |Lost in [[1985 NBA Playoffs|First Round]]
| align="center" |Lost in [[1985 NBA Playoffs|first round]]
|-
|-
| align="left" |[[Chicago Bulls|CHI]]
| align="left" |[[1985–86 Chicago Bulls season|Chicago]]
| align="left" |{{nbay|1985}}
| align="left" |{{nbay|1985}}
|82||30||52||.366|| align="center" |4th in Central||3||0||3||.000
|82||30||52||.366|| align="center" |4th in Central||3||0||3||.000
| align="center" |Lost in [[1986 NBA Playoffs|First Round]]
| align="center" |Lost in [[1986 NBA Playoffs|first round]]
|-class="sortbottom"
|-class="sortbottom"
| align="left" |'''Career'''
| align="left" |'''Career'''
| ||574||307||267||.535|| ||44||18||26||.409
| ||574||307||267||.535|| ||44||18||26||.409
{{s-end}}
{{s-end}}
<small>Source:<ref name="BR coach">{{cite web|url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/coaches/albecst99c.html|title=Stan Albeck Stats|work=Basketball-Reference.com|publisher=Sports Reference LLC|access-date=March 26, 2021}}</ref></small>


==References==
==References==
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==External links==
==External links==
* [https://www.basketball-reference.com/coaches/albecst99c.html BasketballReference.com: Stan Albeck]
* [https://www.basketball-reference.com/coaches/albecst99c.html BasketballReference.com: Stan Albeck]
* [https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/players/stan-albeck-2.html College playing statistics]


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[[Category:1931 births]]
[[Category:1931 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:2021 deaths]]
[[Category:Adrian Bulldogs men's basketball coaches]]
[[Category:Adrian Bulldogs men's basketball coaches]]
[[Category:American Basketball Association executives]]
[[Category:American Basketball Association executives]]
[[Category:American expatriate basketball people in Canada]]
[[Category:American expatriate basketball people in Canada]]
[[Category:American men's basketball coaches]]
[[Category:American men's basketball coaches]]
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[[Category:American men's basketball players]]
[[Category:Atlanta Hawks assistant coaches]]
[[Category:Atlanta Hawks assistant coaches]]
[[Category:Basketball coaches from Illinois]]
[[Category:Basketball coaches from Illinois]]
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[[Category:Denver Pioneers men's basketball coaches]]
[[Category:Denver Pioneers men's basketball coaches]]
[[Category:Denver Rockets head coaches]]
[[Category:Denver Rockets head coaches]]
[[Category:Guards (basketball)]]
[[Category:Kentucky Colonels coaches]]
[[Category:Kentucky Colonels coaches]]
[[Category:Los Angeles Lakers assistant coaches]]
[[Category:Los Angeles Lakers assistant coaches]]
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[[Category:San Diego Conquistadors executives]]
[[Category:San Diego Conquistadors executives]]
[[Category:Toronto Raptors assistant coaches]]
[[Category:Toronto Raptors assistant coaches]]
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[[Category:American men's basketball players]]

Latest revision as of 09:02, 30 December 2023

Stan Albeck
Albeck in 1952
Personal information
Born(1931-05-17)May 17, 1931
Chenoa, Illinois, U.S.
DiedMarch 25, 2021(2021-03-25) (aged 89)
NationalityAmerican
Career information
High schoolChenoa (Chenoa, Illinois)
CollegeBradley (1950–1952, 1954–1955)
NBA draft1955: undrafted
PositionGuard
Coaching career1956–2002
Career history
As coach:
1956–1957Adrian
1957–1968Northern Michigan
1968–1970Denver
1970–1973Denver Rockets (assistant)
1970–1971Denver Rockets (interim HC)
1972–1974San Diego Conquistadors (assistant)
1974–1976Kentucky Colonels (assistant)
1976–1979Los Angeles Lakers (assistant)
1979–1980Cleveland Cavaliers
1980–1983San Antonio Spurs
1983–1985New Jersey Nets
1985–1986Chicago Bulls
1986–1991Bradley
1995–1996New Jersey Nets (assistant)
1997–2000Atlanta Hawks (assistant)
2000–2002Toronto Raptors (assistant)
Career highlights and awards
As head coach:

Charles Stanley Albeck (May 17, 1931 – March 25, 2021) was an American professional basketball coach. Albeck coached for several teams in the American Basketball Association (ABA) and National Basketball Association (NBA), including the Denver Rockets, the San Diego Conquistadors, (often subbing for an absent Wilt Chamberlain), the Cleveland Cavaliers, the San Antonio Spurs, the New Jersey Nets, and the Chicago Bulls.

Early life[edit]

Albeck was born in Chenoa, Illinois, on May 17, 1931. He attended Chenoa High School in his hometown.[1] He subsequently obtained a bachelor's degree at Bradley University in 1955 and his master's at Michigan State University in 1957.[2]

Coaching career[edit]

Albeck began his coaching at Adrian College in Adrian, Michigan.[2] His next head coaching job was at Northern Michigan University. Albeck was head coach at the University of Denver from 1968 to 1970. He was the head coach of the Denver Rockets during most of the 1970–1971 season. The Rockets had begun the season under head coach Joe Belmont, but Belmont was fired after the team lost 10 of its first 13 games. Albeck replaced Belmont as the Rockets' head coach.[3] The Rockets went 27–44 under Albeck to finish the season with a record of 30 wins and 54 losses. They tied the Texas Chaparrals for fourth place in the Western Division (28 games behind the Indiana Pacers) and on April 1, 1971, lost a one-game playoff to the Chaparrals, 115–109, to determine who would advance into the ABA Western Division semifinals.[4] During the season Denver's average home attendance dropped to 4,139 fans per game from 6,281 the year before.[3] One week after the playoff loss, on April 8, 1971, Albeck was replaced by Alex Hannum as Denver's head coach. Hannum resigned as coach of the San Diego Rockets to become the Rockets' head coach, general manager and president. Albeck then became player personnel director for the Rockets.[5] During the 1972–1973 season Albeck was an assistant coach for the San Diego Conquistadors under head coach K.C. Jones. Albeck also served as director of player personnel for the Conquistadors. During most of the 1973–74 season, he served under 'Qs' head coach Wilt Chamberlain. Chamberlain missed a few games, during which Albeck filled in as the Conquistadors' head coach, winning all of them.[6]

Albeck was an assistant coach for the Kentucky Colonels during the 1974–1975 season in which the team won the 1975 ABA Championship.[7] He returned as an assistant coach with the Colonels during their final season in 1975–1976.[8] Albeck served as assistant coach of the Los Angeles Lakers from 1976 until 1979. He went on to become head coach of the Cleveland Cavaliers from 1979 to 1980. He was the San Antonio Spurs' head coach for three seasons from 1980 to 1983. During his tenure, he won NBA Coach of the Month in March 1983.[1][9] After the Spurs job, Albeck was the head coach of the New Jersey Nets from 1983 until 1985.

Albeck subsequently served as head coach of the Chicago Bulls for one season.[1] He and general manager Jerry Krause immediately butted heads over issues including his refusal to put Phil Jackson on his coaching staff, not benching Quintin Dailey for conduct issues, and most of all, not following the minutes restrictions set once Michael Jordan returned from injury. His exit from Chicago raised eyebrows around the NBA as his replacement, Doug Collins, had been hired by general manager Jerry Krause just 2 months beforehand as a scout. The hire of Collins was kept a secret from Albeck, who was "stunned" by the move and felt that there was "a lack of respect, dignity and sensitivity".[10] At the time of his dismissal, he had the fourth-best record among active NBA coaches.[10] His all-time coaching percentages was .535 in his 7 years as a head coach in the NBA.[1]

Albeck went on to serve as head coach for Bradley University, his alma mater, from 1986 through 1991.[11] During his tenure, the team finished the 1988 regular season in first place. They were also champions of the Missouri Valley Conference tournament and advanced to the NCAA tournament that same year.[12] Albeck was a member of the Sigma Chi Fraternity, as well as a Significant Sig and a member of their Significant Sig Hall of Fame.[13]

After serving as an assistant coach for the Atlanta Hawks, Albeck was an assistant coach for the Toronto Raptors.[1] He suffered a debilitating stroke in December 2001, approximately half an hour before a home game against the Miami Heat.[14] This left him partially paralyzed and forced him to retire. He remained in rehabilitation until his death. He often attended games at AT&T Center with his son.[11]

Personal life[edit]

Albeck married Phyllis L. Mann in 1952. Together, they had five children. They remained married until her death in 2017.[11]

Shortly after being placed in hospice care, Albeck died March 25, 2021, at the age of 89. He had suffered a stroke two weeks prior to his death.[11][15]

Head coaching record[edit]

NBA[edit]

Legend
Regular season G Games coached W Games won L Games lost W–L % Win–loss %
Playoffs PG Playoff games PW Playoff wins PL Playoff losses PW–L % Playoff win–loss %
Team Year G W L W–L% Finish PG PW PL PW–L% Result
Cleveland 1979–80 82 37 45 .451 4th in Central — — — — Missed Playoffs
San Antonio 1980–81 82 52 30 .634 1st in Midwest 7 3 4 .429 Lost in Conf. semifinals
San Antonio 1981–82 82 48 34 .585 1st in Midwest 9 4 5 444 Lost in Conf. Finals
San Antonio 1982–83 82 53 29 .646 1st in Midwest 11 6 5 .545 Lost in Conf. Finals
New Jersey 1983–84 82 45 37 .549 4th in Atlantic 11 5 6 .455 Lost in Conf. semifinals
New Jersey 1984–85 82 42 40 .512 3rd in Atlantic 3 0 3 .000 Lost in first round
Chicago 1985–86 82 30 52 .366 4th in Central 3 0 3 .000 Lost in first round
Career 574 307 267 .535 44 18 26 .409

Source:[1]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c d e f "Stan Albeck Stats". Basketball-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved March 26, 2021.
  2. ^ a b Who's Who in the World 1987–1988 edition. p. 14
  3. ^ a b Remember the ABA: Denver Rockets
  4. ^ Remember the ABA: 1970–71 Regular Season Standings and Playoff Results
  5. ^ "Remember the ABA: Denver Rockets/Nuggets Year-by-Year Notes". Archived from the original on August 28, 2003. Retrieved March 5, 2007.
  6. ^ Remember the ABA: San Diego Conquistadors
  7. ^ "1974–75 Kentucky Colonels Roster and Stats". Basketball-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved March 26, 2021.
  8. ^ "1975–76 Kentucky Colonels Roster and Stats". Basketball-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved March 26, 2021.
  9. ^ "NBA Coaches of the Month". Basketball-Reference.com. Retrieved March 22, 2021.
  10. ^ a b Sakamoto, Bob (May 20, 1986). "Chicago Bulls fire first-year coach Stan Albeck in 1986, who was 'stunned': 'There was a lack of respect, dignity and sensitivity". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved March 26, 2021.
  11. ^ a b c d Osborn, Tom (March 25, 2021). "Former Spurs coach Stan Albeck dies at 89". San Antonio Express-News. Retrieved March 26, 2021.
  12. ^ "Stan Albeck Coaching Record". College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved March 26, 2021.
  13. ^ "Sigma Chi – Significant Sigs (Sports)". Sam Houston State University. Retrieved March 26, 2021.
  14. ^ Osborn, Tom (March 25, 2021). "Former Spurs coach Stan Albeck in hospice care". San Antonio Express-News. Retrieved March 26, 2021.
  15. ^ "Stan Albeck, longtime NBA coach, dies at 89 in hospice care". Associated Press. March 26, 2020. Retrieved March 26, 2021.

External links[edit]

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