Rick Adelman family: All about late NBA Hall of Fame coach's wife and children

Rick Adelman is remembered by fans and those closest to him as a loving spouse, father, and grandfather.

The basketball world is mourning the death of Rick Adelman, the NBA Hall of Fame coach who led multiple NBA franchises and became one of the most respected figures in professional basketball. Rick died at the age of 79 on Monday, the National Basketball Coaches Association announced.

Rick Adelman is remembered by fans and those closest to him as a loving spouse, father, and grandfather. (AP Photo/Jim Mone, File) (AP Photo/Jim Mone)

Although Rick's accomplishments with the Portland Trail Blazers, Sacramento Kings, Houston Rockets, Golden State Warriors, and Minnesota Timberwolves are remembered by fans, those closest to him frequently characterized him first as a loving spouse, father, and grandfather.

Who are Rick Adelman's family members?

Rick is survived by his wife Mary, 5 children and 12 grandchildren.

Rick Adelman was married to Mary Kay Adelman, who was by his side throughout much of his coaching career. The couple's relationship spanned decades, 56 years to be precise, including the years when Adelman moved frequently while coaching across the NBA.

The Adelmans raised six children: Kathy Adelman-Naro, RJ Adelman, Laura, David Adelman, Caitlin, and Patrick.

Basketball became a significant part of family life, particularly for David Adelman, who followed in his father's footsteps and built a successful coaching career of his own. David Adelman has been on professional coaching staffs for years and is today a well-known NBA coach. Many people see his ascent through the league as carrying on his father's basketball roots. Rick's eldest daughter, Kathy, is also a high school basketball coach in Portland.

Rick's eldest son, RJ, was a lawyer who worked in the front office of several NBA teams before passing away at the age of 44 in an auto-pedestrian accident in 2018.

After a long and successful coaching career, Rick declared his retirement from NBA coaching on April 21, 2014. Adelman and his wife, Mary Kay, moved to Portland in 2014, the year after he retired, to be near their family.

Rick Adelman's basketball legacy

Rick played in the league for seven years before deciding to become a coach. He began his coaching career with the San Diego Rockets in 1968. Over the next seven seasons, he averaged 7.7 points and 3.5 assists per game for several different clubs until retiring following the 1974–75 season.

As a coach, Rick gained recognition for his creative offensive schemes and player-centred leadership. Generations of players were shaped by his impact, which went beyond victories and defeats.

Many of the NBA's biggest stars, including players from the famed Sacramento Kings of the early 2000s, with whom Rick had his longest coaching stint, have credited him with fostering a family-oriented culture inside locker rooms. In the 8 years he spent with the Kings, Rick took the team to the Western Conference finals once in that run.

The team, in tribute to the NBA Hall of Fame coach, wrote on X, “For an entire generation of Kings fans, Coach Adelman represented the very best of Sacramento basketball, and he will be remembered for the way he inspired those around him – with humility, integrity, kindness, and an unwavering belief in the power of teamwork.”

They added, “Our thoughts are with Mary Kay, his family, friends, former players, and all who loved him.”