Bob Bass, a two-time NBA executive of the year whose career in pro basketball spanned the ABA and NBA, died Friday in San Antonio. Bass had suffered two strokes in the past two weeks, mysanantonio.com reported. He was 89.
Bass had a storied and full career that included coaching four ABA teams and one NBA team, the Spurs, for whom he also was the team’s general manager from 1976 through 1994.
Bass won his first top executive award for the 1989-90 season, which also was future Hall of Famer David Robinson’s rookie season. Bass had drafted Robinson in 1987, even though Robinson still had to fulfill a two-year commitment to the Navy after his graduation from the Naval Academy. The selection of Robinson would lay the groundwork for the franchise’s five NBA titles, the first coming in 1999.
By then, Bass had moved on to the Hornets, where he would be named executive of the year in 1997. In nine seasons as the Hornets’ GM (1995-2004), the team never had a losing season and made the playoffs seven times.
After 36 years in pro basketball, Bass retired in 2004.
“Over the course of four decades, Bob Bass had a huge impact in both the ABA and NBA,” Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said in a statement. “BB was a true pioneer in the world of professional basketball. His knowledge, passion and dedication to the game were inspiring. We send our condolences to the entire Bass family.”
