Stu Inman
Inman, circa 1962
Biographical details
BornAugust 2, 1926
Alameda, California, U.S.
DiedJanuary 30, 2007(2007-01-30) (aged 80)
Tualatin, Oregon, U.S.
Playing career
1947–1950San Jose State
Position(s)Forward
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1950–1951Madera HS
1951–1953Roosevelt HS
1953–1955Santa Ana CC
1955–1957Orange Coast JC
1957–1960San Jose State (asst.)
1960–1966San Jose State
1972Portland Trail Blazers (interim)
Head coaching record
Overall77–68 (college)
6–20 (NBA)

Stuart Kirk Inman (August 2, 1926 – January 30, 2007) was an American basketball player, coach and executive. He was selected in the sixth round of the 1950 NBA draft from San Jose State University by the Chicago Stags; however, he did not play in the NBA.

Early life and education

Inman played college basketball at San Jose State from 1947 to 1950. As a senior, he averaged 14.9 points.[1]

Coaching career

After graduating from San Jose State, Inman became head coach at Madera High School in Madera, California for a season, then was head coach at Theodore Roosevelt High School in Fresno from 1951 to 1953. He then moved up to the junior college level as head coach at Santa Ana City College from 1953 to 1955, then at Orange Coast Junior College from 1955 to 1957. From 1957 to 1960, Inman was an assistant coach at San Jose State before serving as head coach from 1960 to 1966.[2]

Executive career

In 1970, Inman was one of several people who started the expansion Portland Trail Blazers NBA franchise, and initially served as chief scout. He also served as interim coach at the end of the 1971–72 season, after Rolland Todd was fired midway through the season. Inman played a significant role in the building of Portland Trail Blazers' 1976–77 NBA championship team, acquiring Bill Walton, Geoff Petrie, Larry Steele, Lloyd Neal, Lionel Hollins, Bobby Gross, Wally Walker and Johnny Davis through the draft, signed Dave Twardzik after the American Basketball Association folded, and selected Maurice Lucas in the ABA dispersal draft. Inman later served as the team's general manager from 1981 through 1986.

As the general manager for the Trail Blazers, Inman selected the oft-injured Kentucky center Sam Bowie with the number-two pick in the 1984 NBA draft, one spot ahead of the Chicago Bulls who selected Michael Jordan. At the time Portland already had shooting guards (Clyde Drexler and Jim Paxson) and were in need of a center. Inman reflected on the move in 1992, telling The Palm Beach Post, "There's really no excuse. [...] I knew Michael Jordan; I spent that summer with Bobby Knight and that Olympic team and I can't say I saw that greatness that would manifest itself."[3]

Inman worked for the Milwaukee Bucks as their director of player personnel from 1986 to 1987.[4] He was the director of player personnel for the Miami Heat from the team's inception in 1987 to 1992.[3][5] He served as a consultant to Dallas Mavericks head coach Quinn Buckner during the 1993–94 season.[6] He later served as an assistant coach at Lake Oswego High School.

He died at age 80 in Lake Oswego, Oregon of a heart attack.[7]

Head coaching record

College

Statistics overview
Season Team Overall Conference Standing Postseason
San Jose State Spartans (West Coast Conference) (1960–1966)
1960–61 San Jose State 11–14 5–7 5th
1961–62 San Jose State 13–11 0–12 7th
1962–63 San Jose State 14–10 6–6 T–4th
1963–64 San Jose State 14–10 6–6 T–3rd
1964–65 San Jose State 14–10 9–5 T–2nd
1965–66 San Jose State 11–13 7–7 T–4th
San Jose State: 77–68 33–43
Total: 77–68

NBA

Legend
Regular season G Games coached W Games won L Games lost W–L % Win–loss %
Playoffs PG Playoff games PW Playoff wins PL Playoff losses PW–L % Playoff win–loss %
Team Year G W L W–L% Finish PG PW PL PW–L% Result
Portland 1972 26 6 20 .231 5th in Pacific – – – – –
Career 26 6 20 .231 – – – – –

References

  1. ^ http://web1.ncaa.org/app_data/statsPDFArchive/MBB2/F/Men's%20Basketball_Men's_College%20Division_1950_630_San%20Jose%20State%20University.pdf[bare URL PDF]
  2. ^ "Basketball great & former coach Stu Inman dies". San Jose State. January 31, 2007. Retrieved November 1, 2016.
  3. ^ a b Biggane, Brian (17 June 1992). "Picking Winners". The Palm Beach Post. West Palm, Beach Florida. p. 131. Retrieved 4 June 2021.
  4. ^ "Bucks hire Inman". Arizona Daily Star. Tucson, Arizona. 3 January 1986. p. 24. Retrieved 5 June 2021.
  5. ^ "New NBA team hires ex-Blazer Stu Inman". Corvallis Gazette-Times. Corvallis, Oregon. Associated Press. 30 September 1987. p. 13. Retrieved 5 June 2021.
  6. ^ "Mavs". Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Fort Worth, Texas. 18 November 1993. p. 65. Retrieved 4 June 2021.
  7. ^ Stu Inman, 80; helped assemble Portland's NBA champion team

Additional sources

External links

San Jose State Spartans men's basketball head coaches
Portland Trail Blazers head coaches
Portland Trail Blazers general managers
Categories