Stu Inman

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Stu Inman ( August 2, 1926 – January 30, 2007) was an American executive and interim coach in the National Basketball Association. He was selected in the 6th round of the 1950 NBA Draft from San Jose State University by the Chicago Stags; however, he did not play in the NBA.

In 1969, he 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 1971-1972 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. He drafted Bill Walton, Geoff Petrie, Larry Steele, Lloyd Neal, Lionel Hollins, Bobby Gross, Wally Walker and Johnny Davis, signed Dave Twardzik after the American Basketball Association folded, and selected Maurice Lucas in the ABA dispersal draft. Inman would later serve as the team's general manager from 1981 through 1986. He is probably best known for being the GM who selected oft-injured Kentucky center Sam Bowie with the #2 pick in the 1984 NBA Draft, one spot ahead of the Chicago Bulls who selected Michael Jordan at #3.

Inman also served in the front office of the Milwaukee Bucks and the Miami Heat. He later would serve as an assistant coach at Lake Oswego High School.

Inman died in Lake Oswego, Oregon of a heart attack at age 80.

[edit] References

Basketball-Reference.com: Stu Inman
Basketball-Reference.com: Jack McCloskey (as player)
Jack McCloskey Basketball Camp
Brian Meehan. "Blazers' Inman rubbed elbows with greatest", The Oregonian, Dec 14, 2006.
Mike Tokito. "Inman, builder of NBA title team, dies", The Oregonian, Jan 31, 2007.

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