Les Habegger
Personal information
Born(1924-11-13)November 13, 1924
Berne, Indiana, U.S.
DiedJuly 6, 2017(2017-07-06) (aged 92)
Spokane, Washington, U.S.
Career history
As coach:
1956–1957Seattle Pacific (assistant)
1957–1974Seattle Pacific
1977–1983Seattle SuperSonics (assistant)
1987Milwaukee Bucks (assistant)
1987–1990Steiner Bayreuth
1991Washington (assistant)
Career highlights and awards
As coach:

Lester Habegger (November 13, 1924 – July 6, 2017) was the general manager of the Seattle SuperSonics from 1983 to 1985. Before he joined the SuperSonics, Habegger became an assistant coach for the Seattle Pacific Falcons in 1956. As their coach from 1957 to 1974, Habegger and Seattle Pacific reached the quarterfinals of the 1965 NCAA College Division basketball tournament. Upon leaving his coaching position, Habegger had 272 wins and 176 losses.

For his NBA career, Habegger primarily worked as an assistant coach for the SuperSonics and the Milwaukee Bucks between 1977 and 1987. Habegger continued his assistant coaching experience with the Washington Huskies in 1990. Outside of the United States, Habegger coached in Germany from 1987 to 1990. With Steiner Bayreuth, his team won multiple German Basketball Cups and were fifth at the 1988–89 FIBA European Cup Winners' Cup. He was inducted into the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame in 2014.

Early life and education

Habegger was born in Berne, Indiana on November 13, 1924.[1] He lived with the Amish and had nine siblings.[2] For his post-secondary education, Habegger went to Northwestern College, Wheaton College and the University of Minnesota.[3]

Career

For his military experience, Habegger was part of the Battle of the Bulge.[4] He worked with the 274th Infantry Regiment as a combat medic during the 1940s.[5] After World War II, Habegger began assistant coaching for Northwestern College while completing his college education. Upon graduating, he became a basketball coach for the Seattle Pacific Falcons in 1956 as an assistant coach before being promoted to head coach in 1957.[6]

As a member of the NAIA, his team did not qualify for the 1961 NAIA basketball tournament after they were defeated in the District I playoffs final that year.[7][8] In the NCAA, Habegger and his team were part of the 1965 NCAA College Division basketball tournament and reached the quarterfinals.[9][10] After leaving his coaching position in 1974, Habegger had 272 wins and 176 losses.[11] With his wins, Habegger set a career record for Seattle Pacific University.[12]

Outside of the NCAA, Habegger began working in the NBA as an assistant coach for the Seattle SuperSonics in 1977.[12] While with Seattle, Habegger was selected to work for the Western Conference team at the 1980 NBA All-Star Game.[13] He was promoted to general manager of the SuperSonics in 1983 and remained as GM until 1985.[14] After his position of general manager ended, Habegger became the SuperSonics's Habegger director of player personnel in April 1985.[15] He remained with the SuperSonics until 1986 and joined the Milwaukee Bucks as an assistant coach the following year.[16]

From 1987 to 1990, Habegger was a coach in Germany as part of the Basketball Bundesliga league.[17][18] Between 1988 and 1989, Habegger and Steiner Bayreuth won back to back German Basketball Cups.[19] In 1989, Habegger and Steiner won the BBL championship.[20] At FIBA competitions, his team was fifth at the 1988–89 FIBA European Cup Winners' Cup.[21] Before ending his position in 1990, Habegger could not coach Steiner due to his injured back.[22] That year, Habegger went to the Washington Huskies to become an assistant basketball coach.[23] During the mid-1990s, Habegger decided not to resume his basketball experience in Germany when Steiner asked him to become their coach again.[4]

Personal life and death

Habegger had two children before he died on July 6, 2017, in Spokane, Washington.[24][12]

Awards and honors

Habegger was inducted into the University of Northwestern – St. Paul Hall of Fame in 2003[25] and the Seattle Pacific University Hall of Fame in 2004.[18] He also entered the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame in 2014.[26]

References

  1. ^ "Les Habegger". Basketball Reference. Retrieved December 22, 2022.
  2. ^ "We Still Call Him Coach". SPU Athletics. November 18, 2008. Retrieved December 22, 2022.
  3. ^ Mark Moschetti, Mark (July 13, 2017). "Remembering legendary Falcon basketball coach Les Habegger". SPU Stories. Seattle Pacific University. Retrieved December 22, 2022.
  4. ^ a b Nelson, Glenn (August 28, 1994). "Habegger Planting Seeds For Basketball In Germany". Seattle Times. Retrieved December 22, 2022.
  5. ^ Sewell, Patricia W. (2001). Healers in World War II: Oral Histories of Medical Corps Personnel. McFarland. p. 5. ISBN 0786409339. Retrieved 22 December 2022.
  6. ^ "Catching up with ..." NCAA. 28 June 2014. Retrieved 12 April 2018.
  7. ^ "National Tourney Is Next for Whitworth Hoop Quint". Spokane Daily Chronicle. March 8, 1961. p. 20.
  8. ^ Smolich, Marco (March 8, 1962). "SSC Foes Look For Battle". The Sacramento Bee. p. D1.
  9. ^ Missildine, Harry (March 11, 1965). "Miller's Shot... in Parting". The Spokesman-Review. p. 14.
  10. ^ "SPC Falcons Accept Bid To West NCAA Hoop Playoffs". The Bellingham Herald. United Press International. February 18, 1966. p. 9.
  11. ^ "MBB record book thru 2022" (PDF). SPU Athletics. August 1, 2022. p. 18. Retrieved December 22, 2022.
  12. ^ a b c Jenks, Jayson (6 July 2017). "Les Habegger turned SPU into winner, helped Sonics win title". Seattle Times. Retrieved 11 April 2018.
  13. ^ "Wilkens to coach NBA West team". Lansing State Journal. Associated Press. January 17, 1980. p. C-5.
  14. ^ "SPU, Sonics coach Les Habegger (1924–2017)". Sportspress Northwest. 7 May 2017. Retrieved 12 April 2018.
  15. ^ "SuperSonics Kick Wilkens Upstairs". Los Angeles Times. 25 April 1985. Retrieved 12 April 2018.
  16. ^ "Cleveland center Brad Daugherty has been named the..." Chicago Tribune. 5 April 1987. Retrieved 12 April 2018.
  17. ^ "Habegger to help UW". Kitsap Sun. Associated Press. July 13, 1990. p. C2.
  18. ^ a b "Les Habegger". Seattle Pacific University. Retrieved 12 April 2018.
  19. ^ Ernstberger, Von Torsten (November 13, 2014). "Les Habegger: Eine Legende wird 90" [Les Habegger: A legend turns 90]. Kurier (in German). Retrieved December 22, 2022.
  20. ^ "Die Besten Teams" [The Best Teams]. Basketball Bundesliga (in German). Retrieved December 22, 2022.
  21. ^ Reisner, Von Dino (October 24, 2017). "88/89: Bayreuths beste Europapokal-Saison" [88/89: Bayreuth's best European Cup season]. Kurier (in German). Retrieved December 23, 2022.
  22. ^ Ernstberger, Torsten (July 7, 2017). "Les Habegger ist tot" [Les Habegger is dead]. Kurier (in German). Retrieved December 23, 2022.
  23. ^ Smith, Sarah (July 13, 1990). "Habegger Is UW's 65-Year-Old Recruit – Ex-Sonic Coach, GM To Be Husky Assistant". Seattle Times. Retrieved December 22, 2022.
  24. ^ KIRO 7 News Staff (July 6, 2017). "Former SPU men's basketball, Sonics assistant coach Les Habegger dies at 92". KIRO 7. Retrieved December 23, 2022.((cite news)): CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  25. ^ "Hall of Fame Les Habegger". University of Northwestern-St.Paul. Retrieved 11 April 2018.
  26. ^ "Les Habegger". Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame. Retrieved 11 April 2018.
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