Hornets owner and NBA icon Michael Jordan released a statement Sunday following news of the death of former franchise coach and three-time league champion Paul Silas.
Silas was 79 years old.
“Our Hornets family mourns the passing of Paul Silas. Paul was an incredible leader and motivator who served as our head coach on two occasions,” Jordan said, per ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. “He combined the knowledge developed over nearly 40 years as an NBA player and coach with an innate understanding of how to mix discipline with his never-ending positivity. On or off the court, Paul’s enthusiastic and engaging personality was accompanied by an anecdote for every occasion.