Doug Moe, a longtime player-turned-NBA coach, passed away recently at his home in San Antonio, Texas. He was 87 years old.
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According to the Associated Press, Moe's son, David, told several of the late coach's friends that his father died from cancer on Feb. 18. His obituary confirmed this.
A Brooklyn native, Moe played one full season of basketball at Erasmus Hall High School before heading to the University of North Carolina. He became a standout for the college basketball powerhouse, but he did not initially make it to the NBA after being blackballed. He was present at a meeting regarding point-shaving.
Moe reignited his career in an Italian league before returning to the United States in 1967 to join the American Basketball Association. He spent five seasons in the league while earning All-Star honors three times. He suited up for the Oakland Oaks, Carolina Cougars, and Virginia Squires.
Injuries ended Moe's playing career, so he moved into the world of coaching. He started as an assistant with the Carolina Cougars before heading to the Denver Nuggets as an assistant in 1974.
He ultimately landed his first head coaching role in 1976. He took over the San Antonio Spurs and kicked off a four-year tenure with the Texas team. Moe coached the Spurs to a 177-135 record in the regular season and a 9-13 record in the playoffs. The team fell just shy of the NBA Finals in 1979.
Moe moved back to Denver in 1980, first as an assistant coach and then as the head coach. He led the Nuggets for 10 seasons and recorded a 432-357 record in the regular season. The team went 24-37 in nine playoff appearances and reached the Western Conference Finals in 1985.
The longtime coach lost his job in Denver after the 1989-1990 season. He then spent one season with the Philadelphia 76ers. He ultimately made one more comeback in the early 2000s as he spent five seasons as an assistant coach for the Denver Nuggets.
Moe won Coach of the Year in 1988 after the Nuggets turned in a 54-win season. He also won the Chuck Daly Lifetime Achievement Award in 2018.
