Stan Albeck
Stan Albeck (1931-2021)
Teams coached: Adrian Bulldogs, Northern Michigan Wildcats, Denver Pioneers, Denver Rockets, Cleveland Cavaliers, San Antonio Spurs, New Jersey Nets, Chicago Bulls, Bradley Braves
Adrian record^: 16-5 (.762)
Northern Michigan record^: 178-77 (.698)
Denver record: 15-35 (.300)
Bradley record: 75-71 (.514)
Overall record^: 284-188 (.602)
Career Accomplishments:
- NCAA National Championships: 0
- NCAA Tournament Appearances: 1 (1988)
- NCAA Tournament Sweet Sixteen: 0
- NIT Championships: 0
- NIT Appearances: 0
- Missouri Valley Regular Season Champion: 1 (1988)
- Missouri Valley Tournament Champion: 1 (1988)
- NAIA Tournament Appearances: 8 (1958, 1959, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966)
Awards:
- Missouri Valley Coach of the Year: 1 (1988)
Coaching Career (head coach, unless noted):
| 2000-2002 | Toronto Raptors (asst) |
| 1997-2000 | Atlanta Hawks (asst) |
| 1995-1996 | New Jersey Nets (asst) |
| 1986-1991 | Bradley |
| 1985-1986 | Chicago Bulls |
| 1983-1985 | New Jersey Nets |
| 1980-1983 | San Antonio Spurs |
| 1979-1980 | Cleveland Cavaliers |
| 1976-1979 | Los Angeles Lakers (asst) |
| 1974-1976 | Kentucky Colonels (asst) |
| 1972-1974 | San Diego Conquistadors (asst) |
| 1971-1972 | Denver Rockets (asst) |
| 1970-1971 | Denver Rockets (interim HC) |
| 1970 | Denver Rockets (asst) |
| 1968-1970 | Denver |
| 1957-1968 | Northern Michigan |
| 1956-1957 | Adrian |
Stan Albeck Facts
- Charles Stanley Albeck
- Born May 17, 1931
- Died March 25, 2021
- Hometown: Chenoa, Illinois
- Alma Mater: Bradley University (BA, 1955) / Michigan State University (MA, 1957)
- Played three years at Bradley – interrupted by two years of military service – under head coaches Forddy Anderson and Bob Vanatta
- Later inducted into the Bradley Athletics Hall of Fame (class of 1959)
- Started coaching in 1956 at NAIA (now Division III) Adrian College in Michigan; went 16-5 in his lone season with the Bulldogs
- Moved on to Northern Michigan University in 1957, another NAIA program that is now a D-III member
- Went 178-77 over 11 seasons, going to the NAIA Tournament eight times and reaching the Final Four in 1961
- Hired in 1968 to be the head coach at Division I Denver, going 15-35 in two seasons at the helm
- Moved up to the pro ranks in 1970, spent time as an assistant with the Denver Rockets, San Diego Conquistadors, Kentucky Colonels and LA Lakers
- Coaches he worked under include Joe Belmont, Alex Hannum, K. C. Jones, Wilt Chamberlain, Hubie Brown & Jerry West
- Went 27–44 as interim head coach of the Denver Rockets in 1970-71
- Was part of the Kentucky Colonels’ 1975 ABA title-winning coaching staff
- Spent one season (1979-80) as the head coach of the Cleveland Cavaliers, going 37-45 and missing the Playoffs
- Became head coach of the San Antonio Spurs the following season, beginning a successful three-year stint with the franchise
- Won three straight Midwest Division titles and reached the Western Conference Finals in both 1982 and 1983
- Left San Antonio in 1983 with an overall record of 166-107 (including a 13-14 mark in the Playoffs)
- Spent three more years as an NBA head coach, two with the New Jersey Nets and one with the Chicago Bulls
- Reached the Playoffs each year but did get back to the Conference Finals
- Coached a young Michael Jordan in Chicago, though MJ played just 21 games that year due to a broken foot
- Finished his NBA head coaching career with 307 regular season wins and 18 playoff wins (325-293 overall)
- Returned to alma mater Bradley in 1986, leading the Braves for the next five seasons
- Compiled a 75-71 overall record, highlighted by a MVC title and NCAA Tournament berth in 1988
- After a few years away, Albeck spent six more seasons as an NBA assistant coach before retiring in 2002
- Coached under Butch Beard for one year with the Nets and under Lenny Wilkens for five with the Hawks and Raptors
- Passed away in March 2021 at the age of 89; along with his wife, Phyllis, had five children
Stan Albeck Coaching Tree
- Murray Arnold (Stetson, Western Kentucky)
- Larry Brown (SMU, Kansas, UCLA + 10x NBA/ABA teams)
- Wayne Chapman (Kentucky Wesleyan)
- Mike Dunleavy (Tulane, LA Clippers, Portland Trail Blazers, Milwaukee Bucks, LA Lakers)
- Sidney Green (Florida Atlantic, North Florida, Southampton)
- Kyle Macy (Morehead State)
- Morris McHone (San Antonio Spurs)
- Kevin McKenna (Indiana State, Omaha, Sioux Falls Skyforce)
- Mike Schuler (LA Clippers, Portland Trail Blazers)
- John Shumate (Phoenix Mercury, SMU, Grand Canyon)
^ overall record includes head coaching positions at NCAA and NAIA levels only; Adrian and Northern Michigan programs were at the NAIA level during Albeck’s tenures there