Name Don Delaney Role Basketball Coach | Education Kent State University | |
Died February 16, 2011, Mayfield Heights, Ohio, United States | ||
Don Delaney (January 3, 1936 – February 16, 2011) was an American professional basketball coach, who served as head coach of the Cleveland Cavaliers in the early 1980s. Delaney also served as the team's general manager. Former Cavaliers owner Ted Stepien signed Delaney to a one-year contract to be the team's head coach in March 1981. Delaney compiled a 7–21 record over the 1980–81 and 1981–82 seasons.
An article in the January/February 2004 issue of Basketball Digest listed Delaney as one of the five worst coaches in NBA history.
According to the 1980–81 Cleveland Cavaliers media guide, Delaney was the head coach at Lakeland Community College in Kirtland, Ohio, and Dyke College (now Chancellor University) in Cleveland, compiling a 200–101 record over 11 seasons. At Lakeland, Delaney also served as chairman of the physical education department.
Prior to coaching in college, Delaney was a high school coach at Kirtland High School in Kirtland, Ohio.
He graduated cum laude from Kent State University, where he earned both his bachelor's and master's degrees.
Delaney died on February 16, 2011 at the age of 75.