Richie Adubato Passes Away: NBA and WNBA Basketball Legend at 87 Years Old

Richie Adubato, Legendary Basketball Coach, Passes Away

The basketball community mourns the loss of Richie Adubato, a coach with a decades-long career in the NBA and WNBA. His family announced his passing on Thursday, at the age of 87. Adubato left a significant mark on the sport, coaching teams like the Dallas Mavericks, Orlando Magic, New York Liberty, and Washington Mystics. His daughter, Beth, remembered him as a “funny, intelligent, energetic, and genuinely warm” man.

With deep gratitude, we remember the legacy of Richie Adubato, who guided the Liberty to 3 WNBA Finals appearances and established a standard of excellence that still inspires our organization today.

New York Liberty Team

During his time with the Liberty, Adubato led the team to the WNBA Finals on three occasions (1999-2004), coaching future stars like Teresa Weatherspoon and Becky Hammon. He still holds the franchise record with 178 games coached and is second in wins (100).

Richie Adubato, a former NBA and WNBA coach, has passed away at the age of 87.

Adubato coached the New York Liberty to three WNBA Finals appearances, and was also a head coach for the Dallas Mavericks and Washington Mystics. pic.twitter.com/lWjTf1K8Xn

— NBA History (@NBAHistory) May 17, 2024

Adubato also coached the Washington Mystics for two and a half seasons (2005-2007). In 1997, he was the interim coach of the Magic, after having been an assistant for several years. He was also a radio analyst for the team from 2005 to 2020. The Orlando Magic team expressed their sadness at the loss of Adubato, highlighting his positive impact on the basketball community. The coach also had a stint with the Detroit Pistons as interim coach in the 1979-80 season and was coach of the Dallas Mavericks from 1989 to 1993. Before his NBA career, Adubato spent 18 years coaching basketball at high schools and colleges in New Jersey. He graduated from William Paterson, where he captained the basketball and baseball teams.