Brendan Malone, Raptors' 1st HC and Father of Nuggets' Michael, Dies at Age 81

Former longtime NBA coach Brendan Malone died at the age of 81, the Denver Nuggets announced Tuesday.

Malone, the father of Nuggets head coach Michael Malone, had coached in the league for 27 years and was the first head coach of the Toronto Raptors during their inaugural season in 1995-96.

Brendan Malone also served as an assistant with the New York Knicks, Detroit Pistons, Indiana Pacers, Cleveland Cavaliers and Orlando Magic. Per The Athletic's Eric Koreen, he received the 2023 Tex Winter Assistant Coach Lifetime Impact Award from the National Basketball Coaches Association in July.

Malone began his coaching career at a New York City high school in 1967. He later moved up to the collegiate level as an assistant at Fordham, Yale and Syracuse before becoming head coach at Rhode Island.

Malone transitioned to the NBA as an assistant with the Knicks in 1986. He was a member of the Pistons coaching staff that led the franchise to back-to-back NBA championships in 1989 and 1990. In all, the teams he helped coach advanced to the playoffs 20 times with four NBA Finals appearances.

Koreen noted that "Malone's teachings, particularly on defense, have informed many teams for years." His philosophy was present while his son guided Denver on a run to the 2023 NBA championship.

Michael Malone didn't travel with the Nuggets for Tuesday's preseason game against the Phoenix Suns. Assistant coach David Adelman was elevated to interim coach in his absence.