George Irvine
1948-02-01 2017-05-08George Irvine, a former NBA player and head coach, died Monday, May 8, 2017, of cancer, according to multiple news sources. He was 69. Irvine was born Feb. 1, 1948, in Seattle. He was a 6-foot-6 forward when he played college basketball at the University of Washington, where he was a first-team All-Pac 8 selection in 1970. During the 1970 NBA draft, the Seattle Supersonics chose Irvine in the eighth round. He never played for the SuperSonics, however; nor did he play with any other team in the NBA. He chose, instead, to play for the Virginia Squires, which had selected him in the American Basketball Association draft. He was with the Squires for five seasons, playing alongside Julius Erving between 1971 and 1973. Irvine then switched to the Denver Nuggets for one final pro season, in 1975-76. Irvine went on to serve as head coach for the NBA's Indiana Pacers and Detroit Pistons. He was with the Pacers off and on from 1984 to 1989. He led the Pistons to the playoffs during the 1999-2000 seasons, but the team lost in the first round. He coached another season with Detroit before retiring from coaching. In 2012, he was inducted into the Pac-12 Basketball Hall of Honor.
George and I shared a math class taught by Mr. Huelett, our colorful and lovable black math teacher in our Junior year. George and I sat at the back of the class and were often snickering at one another's jokes. Mr. Huelett would stop what he was teaching and yell, "George Irvine, I don't care what tickles you, you are not leavin' outa here till your assignment is done!" To me Mr. Huelett would say, in exasperation, "why Norm Goodwin, why don't you understand!!?" I miss George, his "it's just me" attitude as an NBA star at the reunions he attended and his generous human kindness.
tribute by Norm Goodwin