Longtime NBA player and coach Rick Adelman died at the age of 79 on June 1. The news of his demise was announced by the National Basketball Coaches Association on social media.They stated in their statement that Adelman coached in the NBA for 29 years and served as a head coach for 23 seasons. It continued:“Adelman will be remembered not only as a coach and a player, but also as a mentor to so many in the basketball community….Our thoughts and prayers go out to the entire Adelman family during this difficult time.”Adelman was married to his wife Mary Kay and they had three sons including - R.J. (Richard), David and Pat. David is a longtime NBA assistant coach and also the head coach of the Denver Nuggets. The couple also shared three daughters – Kathy, Laura and Caitlin. Continue reading for more details.All you need to know about Rick Adelman’s family Rick Adelman married his wife, Mary Kay Fournier, on May 16, 1970. The couple had been married for 56 years until his death on June 1, 2026.Rick met his wife during their youth in Los Angeles. They eventually married and went on to have four children together – Kathy, R.J. (Richard Jr.), Laura and David. Later, they adopted two children - Patrick and Caitlin- after Mary’s sister passed away in a fatal car accident.Kathy is their eldest child among their other children. She is married to John Naro, a coach and is a well-known high school girls' basketball coach in Portland, Oregon. She had a highly successful coaching career at both Jesuit High School and Beaverton High School in the Portland area. She was a state champion at Tigard High School in 1988. She shares three daughters with her husband.R.J. was the eldest son of Rick Adelman, who passed away in a tragic accident in February 2018 at the age of 44. He was reportedly struck by a minivan while crossing a street in downtown Houston. He worked for the Seattle Supersonics, Sacramento Kings, Houston Rockets and Minnesota Timberwolves in different roles ranging from assistant video coordinator to scout to assistant coach to director of player personnel.Minnesota Timberwolves v New Orleans Hornets - Source: GettyAdelman's daughter, Laura, resides in Oregon and leads a private life. His son David followed his father’s footsteps by building a career in basketball coaching and leading an NBA team, just as Rick Adelman did for more than two decades. He is the current head coach of the Denver Nuggets and is married to Jenny Adelman, a soccer player. They have two kids – a son named Leonard Joseph and a daughter, Lennon Marie.Caitlin resides in Oregon and maintains a low-key profile. Patrick (Pat) has worked as an assistant coach at Chemeketa Community College and previously at Lincoln High School in Portland.Rick Adelman and Mary always stuck together through challenging times. In 2013, Mary suffered recurring seizures with an unknown cause at the time. During that time, Rick was coaching the Minnesota Timberwolves, while she was hospitalized. He reportedly took three weeks off to be by her side. Mary’s health condition became a major factor in Rick’s decision to retire after the 2013–14 season.In a chat with Kerry Eggers, Rick Adelman called his wife the “rock” of his family while praising her devotion for his family. He said:“I couldn’t have done it without Mary Kay. “She is the rock of our family. While I was traveling and coaching, she was home raising six kids in four different cities. Without her, It wouldn’t have been possible. I told our kids, ‘You’re going to have to start calling her Mrs. Hall of Fame.’ ”Rick was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame as a coach in 2021. He also received the Chuck Daly Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Basketball Coaches Association in 2023.He amassed 1,042 games and led teams to the playoffs 16 times. Most notably, he guided the Portland Trail Blazers to the NBA finals in 1990 and 1992. He also had strong runs with the Sacramento Kings.Rick Adelman will be celebrated as one of the most successful NBA head coaches of his era.