Brendan Malone, Two-Time NBA Champion Coach, Dead at 81

Brendan Malone, an NBA coach who won two NBA championships as an assistant, has died. He was 81 years old. The cause of death was not announced, but the Denver Nuggets confirmed the news on Tuesday. Malone's son is Denver Nuggets head coach Michael Malone. 

"It is with tremendous sadness that we share the passing of longtime NBA coach Brendan Malone, who holds a special place amongst the organization and will be a Denver Nugget forever," the team wrote in its statement. Malone began his NBA coaching career in 1986 as an assistant with the New York Knicks. He also spent time with multiple teams over the years but was the head coach of the Toronto Raptors during the 1995-96 season. Malone was known for his time with the Detroit Pistons and helped the team win NBA titles in 1989 and 1990. Malone worked under Pistons head coach Chuck Daly, who died in 2009. 

“I’ve been with the Knicks three different times”

— RIP native New Yorker and coaching legend Brendan Malone pic.twitter.com/FUOMX0TuHY

— New York Basketball (@NBA_NewYork) October 10, 2023

"The Detroit Pistons mourn the passing of former assistant coach Brendan Malone — who graced the coaching bench during two Pistons basketball eras under Chuck Daly and Stan Van Gundy," the team said. "Our thoughts are with his family and friends at this difficult time."

After his first stint with the Pistons, Malone was hired to be the Raptors head coach but only lasted one season as the team finished with a 21-61 record. "The Toronto Raptors organization is saddened by the passing of Brendan Malone, who served as our head coach during the team's inaugural season in 1995-96, winning a special place in our history and our hearts," the Raptors said in a statement. "His contributions to the game will forever be remembered, and we offer our condolences to his family, friends and colleagues."

Malone would not be a head coach again until 2005 when he served as an interim head coach of the Cleveland Cavaliers. Following a stint with the Orlando Magic (2007 to 2012), Malone returned to the Pistons and would be with the team for two years. In July of this year, Malone was honored with the 2023 Tex Winter Assistant Coach Lifetime Impact Award. 

Michael Malone has been the Nuggets head coach since 2015. In his first three seasons, the Nuggets missed the playoffs, but the team has become one of the best in the league, winning the NBA title over the summer.