On Sunday, the NBA world lost a big-time contributor when Paul Silas passed away at the age of 79.
He started his NBA playing career in the 1964-65 season as a second-round draft pick by the St. Louis Hawks. He established himself as one of the league’s prototypical rugged power forwards of the 1970s.
Silas was a monster on the boards who averaged double-figures in rebounding in eight different seasons, and he won three world championships, two with the Boston Celtics and one with the Seattle SuperSonics.
He later became a longtime coach, which is when he crossed paths with LeBron James, as he was the four-time MVP’s first head coach during the 2003-04 season.
Right after the Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Detroit Pistons, 124-117, on Sunday, James talked about what Silas meant to him.
LeBron walk off 📺 in Detroit, including his thoughts on the passing of his first NBA coach, Paul Silas: https://t.co/KSJxsweesL
— Mike Trudell (@LakersReporter) December 12, 2022
“Probably one of the greatest human beings I’ve ever been around,” said James. “The start of my journey in this league started with him. His command, his principles, his attention to detail, his love for family – I feel for his whole family, his beautiful wife, obviously Stephen Silas down in Houston. Every time I will go back to Charlotte he would always come to the games, and I would always try to look for him in the crowd. To hear that news is very sad, so for myself and my teammates that played for coach Silas throughout those years in Cleveland, our well-wishes and our hearts go out to the Silas family.”
Silas lives on through his son Stephen, who is the head coach of the Houston Rockets.
