Former Portland Trail Blazers coach Mike Schuler has died at the age of 81, the franchise announced Wednesday.
Schuler, who coached the Blazers from 1986-1989, received coach of the year honors following the 1986-87 season when he guided the franchise to a 49-33 record during his first campaign as a head coach.
Schuler, who went 127-84 during his three seasons with the Blazers, became just the second rookie head coach to ever be named coach of the year. Just three others have done it since.
“I had the pleasure of being both coached by Mike and coaching alongside him later in my career,” former Blazers guard Terry Porter said in a statement. “Mike was a terrific coach and had a great intensity about his coaching style with a focus on bringing out the best in his players. From a colleague standpoint, I was extremely grateful to have him on my coaching staff to share his experience, knowledge and kindness with me”
Schuler served as an assistant coach under Porter when he coached the Milwaukee Bucks from 2003-2005.
Schuler’s cause of death has not been released.
1988: Head coach Mike Schuler of the Portland Trail Blazers instructs his team during the 1988-1989 NBA season game. (Photo by Mike Powell/Getty Images) Getty Images
An Ohio native, Schuler graduated from Ohio University in 1962 and began his coaching career as an assistant at Army in 1965 and then later at Ohio before landing his first head coaching job in 1969 at the Virginia Military Institute.
Schuler spent four seasons as Rice’s head coach (1977-1981) before entering the NBA an assistant with the New Jersey Nets. After two seasons there, Schuler spent three with the Bucks before becoming the Blazers head coach.
Schuler was later inducted into the Ohio Athletics Hall of Fame as the recipient of the Glenn C. Randall Lifetime Achievement Award.
Nicknamed “Poppop” by his family, Schuler is survived by his daughter Kimberly S. Foxx, husband Bryan Foxx, their children, Weston Michael Foxx and Madison Morgan Foxx from Elkhorn, Nebraska. Also, daughter Kristin Schuler Baker, husband Rick Baker, their children Jaxson Schuler Baker, and Jordan Brooke Baker from Phoenix, Arizona.
— Aaron Fentress | afentress@Oregonian.com | @AaronJFentress (Twitter), @AaronJFentress (Instagram), @AaronFentress (Facebook).
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