George Irvine, one of the greatest shooters in the history of University of Washington basketball, has died after a five-year battle with cancer. He was 69.
A 1966 graduate of Ballard High School, Irvine was drafted by the NBA’s Seattle Sonics and the ABA’s Virginia Squires. He signed with the Squires and played five years in Virginia in the 1970s, playing alongside the likes of Julius “Dr J” Erving and George Gervin.
In 1980, Irvine began a 25-year career as an NBA coach, scout and executive, mostly with the Indiana Pacers. He had three stints as an NBA head coach — with the Pacers from 1984-86, and again in ’88, and also with the Detroit Pistons in 2000-2001.