Ray Patterson (basketball)

Raymond Albert Patterson, Jr. (January 15, 1922 – August 3, 2011) was general manager of the NBA's Houston Rockets from 1972 to 1990. He was named NBA Executive of the Year in 1977,[1] and his Rockets appeared in the NBA Finals in 1981 and 1986. Among his most notable player acquisitions were Ralph Sampson in 1983 and Hakeem Olajuwon in 1984. He left the Rockets in 1990 with hopes of becoming co-owner of an NHL team in Houston, and was succeed by his son, Steve.[2] Ray Patterson's NHL dreams never materialized, but he helped found an International Hockey League franchise, the Houston Aeros, in 1994.[3]

During the 1940s, Patterson played professional basketball for the Flint Dow A.C.'s of the NBL.[4]

He died on August 3, 2011 at age 89.[5][6]

Notes

  1. ↑ NBA Executive of the Year. CNN/SI. Retrieved on May 8, 2008.
  2. ↑ Eddie Sefko. "Ray Patterson ends NBA career". Houston Chronicle. August 30, 1990. Sports, 1.
  3. ↑ Neal Farmer. "Hockey comes to Houston". Houston Chronicle. January 14, 1994. Sports, 9.
  4. ↑ Harry Page. "Where are they?" San Antonio Express News. January 3, 1999. 2C.
  5. ↑ "Ray Patterson dies at 89". ESPN.com. Retrieved August 3, 2011.
  6. ↑ http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/houstonchronicle/obituary.aspx?n=Raymond-Patterson&pid=153032758