Les Habegger

Les Habegger
Personal information
Born (1924-11-13)November 13, 1924
Berne, Indiana
Died July 6, 2017(2017-07-06) (aged 92)
Spokane, Washington
Career history
As coach:
1956–1957 Seattle Pacific (assistant)
1957–1974 Seattle Pacific (head)
1977–1983 Seattle SuperSonics (assistant)
1987 Milwaukee Bucks (assistant)

Lester Habegger (November 13, 1924 — July 6, 2017) was the general manager of the Seattle SuperSonics from 1983 to 1985. Prior to his NBA career, Habegger was the head coach of the Seattle Pacific Falcons from 1957 to 1974. In 2014, he was inducted into the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame.

Early life and education

Habegger was born on November 13, 1924 in Berne, Indiana. He graduated from Wheaton College with a Bachelor of Arts and the University of Minnesota for a Master's degree in counselling during the 1950s.[1]

Career

Habegger served in the army during World War II as a nurse for the 274th Infantry Regiment.[2] After the war, Habegger began assistant coaching for Northwestern College while completing his college education. Upon graduating, he became a basketball coach for the Seattle Pacific Falcons in 1956 as an assistant coach before being promoted to head coach in 1957.[3] He remained as head coach until 1974 and set a career record for Seattle Pacific University with 267 wins and 170 losses.[4]

Outside of the NCAA, Habegger began working in the NBA as an assistant coach for the Seattle SuperSonics in 1977.[4] He was promoted to general manager of the SuperSonics in 1983 and remained as GM until 1985.[5] After his position of general manager ended, Habegger became the SuperSonics's Habegger director of player personnel in April 1985.[6] He remained with the SuperSonics until 1986 and joined the Milwaukee Bucks as an assistant coach the following year.[7] At the end of his career, Habegger coached the German basketball team Steiner Bayreuth of the Basketball Bundesliga league.[8]

Death

Habegger died on July 6, 2017 in Spokane, Washington.[4]

Awards and honors

Habegger was inducted into the University of Northwestern – St. Paul Hall of Fame in 2003[9] and the Seattle Pacific University Hall of Fame in 2004.[8] He also entered the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame in 2014.[10]

References

  1. ↑ "Interview with Lester Habegger [July 2003]". Veterans History Project. Retrieved 11 April 2018.
  2. ↑ Sewell, Patricia W. (2001). Healers in World War II: Oral Histories of Medical Corps Personnel. McFarland. p. 3. ISBN 0786409339. Retrieved 11 April 2018.
  3. ↑ "Catching up with ..." NCAA. 28 June 2014. Retrieved 12 April 2018.
  4. 1 2 3 Jenks, Jayson (6 July 2017). "Les Habegger turned SPU into winner, helped Sonics win title". Seattle Times. Retrieved 11 April 2018.
  5. ↑ "SPU, Sonics coach Les Habegger (1924-2017)". Sportspress Northwest. 7 May 2017. Retrieved 12 April 2018.
  6. ↑ "SuperSonics Kick Wilkens Upstairs". Los Angeles Times. 25 April 1985. Retrieved 12 April 2018.
  7. ↑ "Cleveland center Brad Daugherty has been named the..." Chicago Tribune. 5 April 1987. Retrieved 12 April 2018.
  8. 1 2 "Les Habegger". Seattle Pacific University. Retrieved 12 April 2018.
  9. ↑ "Hall of Fame Les Habegger". University of Northwestern-St.Paul. Retrieved 11 April 2018.
  10. ↑ "Les Habegger". Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame. Retrieved 11 April 2018.
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