Richie Adubato, Legendary Basketball Coach, Passes Away
The basketball world mourns the loss of Richie Adubato, a coach with a four-decade career in the NBA and WNBA. Adubato, known for his charisma and dedication, passed away at the age of 87, according to his family. Adubato left an indelible mark on the sport, coaching teams such as the Dallas Mavericks, Orlando Magic, New York Liberty, and Washington Mystics. Let’s remember him as the fun, intelligent, energetic, and genuinely warm human being he always was. Beth Adubato, Richie’s daughter Adubato’s daughter, Beth, shared a touching message on social media, remembering her father. Adubato led the New York Liberty to three WNBA Finals in six seasons (1999-2004), where he coached future Hall of Famers such as Teresa Weatherspoon and Becky Hammon. He still holds the franchise record with 178 games coached and is second in wins (100). The Liberty team expressed its gratitude for Adubato’s legacy. Adubato also coached the Washington Mystics for two and a half seasons (2005-2007). In 1997, Adubato was the interim coach of the Orlando Magic, after having been an assistant for several years. He was also a radio analyst for the team from 2005 to 2020. The Magic issued a statement regretting Adubato’s passing. Adubato was also an interim coach in Detroit during the 1979-80 season and head coach in Dallas from 1989 to 1993. Before his time in the NBA, Adubato coached basketball in high schools and colleges in New Jersey for 18 years. He graduated from William Paterson, where he captained the basketball and baseball teams.The NBA mourns the passing of Richie Adubato
The NBA and WNBA mourn the loss of Richie Adubato.
