 Schuler in 1987 | |
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | (1940-09-22)September 22, 1940 Portsmouth, Ohio, U.S. |
| Died | June 28, 2022(2022-06-28) (aged 81) |
| Listed height | 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) |
| Listed weight | 165 lb (75 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school | Portsmouth (Portsmouth, Ohio) |
| College | Ohio (1959–1962) |
| Coaching career | 1965–2005 |
| Career history | |
Coaching | |
| 1965–1966 | Army (assistant) |
| 1966–1969 | Ohio (assistant) |
| 1969–1972 | VMI |
| 1972–1977 | Virginia (assistant) |
| 1977–1981 | Rice |
| 1981–1983 | New Jersey Nets (assistant) |
| 1983–1986 | Milwaukee Bucks (assistant) |
| 1986–1989 | Portland Trail Blazers |
| 1989–1990 | Golden State Warriors (assistant) |
| 1990–1992 | Los Angeles Clippers |
| 1992–1994 | Sacramento Kings (assistant) |
| 1994–1996 | Minnesota Timberwolves (assistant) |
| 2003–2005 | Milwaukee Bucks (assistant) |
| Career highlights | |
As coach:
| |
Michael Harold Schuler (September 22, 1940 – June 28, 2022) was an Americanbasketball coach in both college and theNational Basketball Association (NBA). He was the head coach of thePortland Trail Blazers andLos Angeles Clippers from 1986 to 1992 and compiled a win–loss record of 179–159. He won theNBA Coach of the Year Award in 1987, becoming the second rookie coach to be conferred the honor.
Michael Harold Schuler was born on September 22, 1940, inPortsmouth, Ohio, on September 22, 1940.[1][2] He attendedPortsmouth High School in his hometown.[1] He was then awarded anNCAA Division I scholarship to study atOhio University,[2] where he played for theOhio Bobcats and won twoMid-American Conference championships with the team.[3] He graduated in 1962.[3][4]
Schuler started his coaching career in 1965, working as an assistant for theArmy Black Knights.[4][5]
Schuler then went back to Ohio, his alma mater, and was an assistant coach there for three seasons.
Schuler subsequently joined theVirginia Military Institute as its head coach in 1969.[3][5] During his three seasons with the Keydets, the team recorded a .171 winning percentage (13–63).[6]
Schuler had a four-season stint as an assistant at theUniversity of Virginia.
Schuler became head coach of theRice Owls in 1977.[4][7] He served in that capacity until 1981, compiling a .283 winning percentage (30–76) during his tenure there.[6]
Schuler garnered his first professional coaching position in 1981 as an assistant coach with theNew Jersey Nets. He worked in that role for two seasons.
Schuler become an assistant coach with theMilwaukee Bucks from 1983 to 1986.
Schuler was subsequently hired as head coach of thePortland Trail Blazers.[1][4] One incident he was remembered for occurred at the first press conference that introduced him as the coach of the Trail Blazers, when he fell out of his chair. The footage was seen often on American television in the following days, and Schuler termed it "my instant claim to fame".[8]
During his first season as coach of the Blazers, Schuler led the franchise to a 49–33 record. He was first named NBA Coach of the Month in February 1987, before winning theNBA Coach of the Year Award later that year.[1] He was the second rookie coach to receive the latter award, and one of only five to achieve the feat at the time of his death.[4][5] He followed that up with a 53–29 campaign,[1] though the season ended in a first-round playoff defeat.[9] In his third season with the Blazers, the team was racked with dissension and posted a 25–22 record before Schuler was fired in mid-February.[10] He recorded a .602 winning percentage (127–84) with the Trail Blazers.[1] Then-assistant coachRick Adelman was promoted to replace him on an interim basis.[10] After the Blazers reached the1989 NBA Playoffs and were swept in the first round by the Lakers, Adelman was made the head coach on apermanent basis.[11]
Schuler served as assistant coach of theGolden State Warriors for the1989–90 season.
Schuler become head coach of theLos Angeles Clippers the following year.[1] He served in that role until he was dismissed halfway through the1991–92 season,[1][12] compiling a .409 winning percentage (52–75) during his time with the Clippers.
Schuler was an assistant coach with theSacramento Kings from 1992 to 1994.
Schuler was an assistant coach with theMinnesota Timberwolves from 1994 to 1997.[1]
Schuler later returned to the Milwaukee Bucks as an assistant coach in 2003, before retiring at the end of the2004–05 season.[12]
Schuler married Gloria Sissea in July 1963. They remained married for 53 years until her death in 2016.[2] Together, they had two daughters: Kimberly and Kristin.[2][4]
Schuler died on June 28, 2022, at the age of 81.[2][4][5]
| Regular season | G | Games coached | W | Games won | L | Games lost | W–L % | Win–loss % |
| Playoffs | PG | Playoff games | PW | Playoff wins | PL | Playoff losses | PW–L % | Playoff win–loss % |
| Team | Year | G | W | L | W–L% | Finish | PG | PW | PL | PW–L% | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Portland | 1986–87 | 82 | 49 | 33 | .598 | 2nd in Pacific | 4 | 1 | 3 | .250 | Lost inFirst Round |
| Portland | 1987–88 | 82 | 53 | 29 | .646 | 2nd in Pacific | 4 | 1 | 3 | .250 | Lost inFirst Round |
| Portland | 1988–89 | 47 | 25 | 22 | .532 | (fired) | — | — | — | — | — |
| L.A. Clippers | 1990–91 | 82 | 31 | 51 | .378 | 6th in Pacific | — | — | — | — | Missed Playoffs |
| L.A. Clippers | 1991–92 | 45 | 21 | 24 | .467 | (fired) | — | — | — | — | — |
| Career | 338 | 179 | 159 | .530 | 8 | 2 | 6 | .250 | |||
| Source:[1] | |||||||||||