Michael Harold Schuler (September 22, 1940 – June 28, 2022) was an American

basketball Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular Basketball court, court, compete with the primary objective of #Shooting, shooting a basketball (ball), basketball (appr ...

coach in both college and the

National Basketball Association The National Basketball Association (NBA) is a professional basketball league in North America. The league is composed of 30 teams (29 in the United States and 1 in Canada) and is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United S ...

(NBA). He was the head coach of the

Portland Trail Blazers The Portland Trail Blazers (colloquially known as the Blazers) are an American professional basketball team based in Portland, Oregon. The Trail Blazers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Western Con ...

and

Los Angeles Clippers The Los Angeles Clippers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles. The Clippers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Pacific Division in the league's Western Conference. The Clipper ...

from 1986 to 1992 and compiled a win–loss record of 179–159. He won the

NBA Coach of the Year Award The National Basketball Association's Coach of the Year is an annual National Basketball Association (NBA) award given since the 1962–63 NBA season. The winner receives the Red Auerbach Trophy, which is named in honor of the head coach who le ...

in 1987, becoming the second rookie coach to be conferred the honor.

Early life

Schuler was born in

Portsmouth, Ohio Portsmouth is a city in and the county seat of Scioto County, Ohio, United States. Located in southern Ohio south of Chillicothe, it lies on the north bank of the Ohio River, across from Kentucky, just east of the mouth of the Scioto River. ...

, on September 22, 1940. He attended Portsmouth High School in his hometown. He was then awarded a

NCAA Division I NCAA Division I (D-I) is the highest level of College athletics, intercollegiate athletics sanctioned by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) in the United States, which accepts players globally. D-I schools include the major ...

scholarship to study at

Ohio University Ohio University is a Public university, public research university in Athens, Ohio. The first university chartered by an Act of Congress and the first to be chartered in Ohio, the university was chartered in 1787 by the Congress of the Confeder ...

, where he played for the

Ohio Bobcats The Ohio Bobcats are the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I Intercollegiate athletic teams that represent Ohio University, located in Athens, Ohio, United States. Ohio University is a charter member (1946) of the Mid-Amer ...

and won two

Mid-American Conference The Mid-American Conference (MAC) is a National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I collegiate athletic conference with a membership base in the Great Lakes region that stretches from Western New York to Illinois. Nine of the twel ...

championships with the team. He graduated in 1962.

Coaching career

College

Schuler started his coaching career in 1965, working as an assistant for the Army Black Knights. He then went back to Ohio, his alma mater, and was an assistant coach there for three seasons. He subsequently joined the

Virginia Military Institute la, Consilio et Animis (on seal) , mottoeng = "In peace a glorious asset, In war a tower of strength""By courage and wisdom" (on seal) , established = , type = Public senior military college , accreditation = SACS , endowment = $696.8 mill ...

as its head coach in 1969. During his three seasons with the Keydets, the team recorded a .171 winning percentage (13–63). After a four-season stint as an assistant at the

University of Virginia The University of Virginia (UVA) is a Public university#United States, public research university in Charlottesville, Virginia. Founded in 1819 by Thomas Jefferson, the university is ranked among the top academic institutions in the United S ...

, Schuler became head coach of the

Rice Owls Rice University athletic teams are known as the Rice Owls. The name comes from the owls in Rice's crest. Rice participates in NCAA Division I athletics. A member of Conference USA, Rice sponsors teams in seven men's and seven women's NCAA sanctio ...

in 1977. He served in that capacity until 1981, compiling a .283 winning percentage (30–76) during his tenure there.

Professional

Schuler garnered his first professional coaching position in 1981 as an assistant of the

New Jersey Nets New is an adjective referring to something recently made, discovered, or created. New or NEW may refer to: Music * New, singer of K-pop group The Boyz Albums and EPs * ''New'' (album), by Paul McCartney, 2013 * ''New'' (EP), by Regurgitator, ...

. He worked in that role for two seasons, before becoming an assistant coach of the

Milwaukee Bucks The Milwaukee Bucks are an American professional basketball team based in Milwaukee. The Bucks compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference Central Division. The team was founded in 1968 ...

from 1983 to 1986. He was subsequently hired as head coach of the

. One incident he was remembered for occurred at the first press conference that introduced him as the coach of the Trail Blazers, when he fell out of his chair. The footage was seen often on American television in the following days, and Schuler termed it "my instant claim to fame". During his first season as coach of the Blazers, Schuler led the franchise to a 49–33 record. He was first named NBA Coach of the Month in February 1987, before winning the

later that year. He was the second rookie coach to receive the latter award, and one of only five to achieve the feat at the time of his death. He followed that up with a 53–29 campaign, though the season ended in a first-round playoff defeat. In his third season with the Blazers, the team was racked with dissension and posted a 25–22 record before Schuler was fired in mid-February. He recorded a .602 winning percentage (127–84) with the Trail Blazers. Then-assistant coach

Rick Adelman Richard Leonard Adelman (born June 16, 1946) is an American former professional basketball player and coach. He coached 23 seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Adelman served as head coach of the Portland Trail Blazers, Golden ...

was promoted to replace him on an interim basis. After the Blazers reached the 1989 NBA Playoffs and were swept in the first round by the Lakers, Adelman was made the head coach on a

permanent Permanent may refer to: Art and entertainment * ''Permanent'' (film), a 2017 American film * ''Permanent'' (Joy Division album) * "Permanent" (song), by David Cook Other uses * Permanent (mathematics), a concept in linear algebra * Permanent (cy ...

basis. Schuler served as assistant coach of the

Golden State Warriors The Golden State Warriors are an American professional basketball team based in San Francisco. The Warriors compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA), as a member of the league's Western Conference Pacific Division. Founded in 194 ...

for the 1989–90 season, before becoming coach of the

the following year. He served in that role until he was dismissed halfway through the 1991–92 season, compiling a .409 winning percentage (52–75) during his time with the Clippers. He went on to serve as an assistant coach for the

Sacramento Kings The Sacramento Kings are an American professional basketball team based in Sacramento, California. The Kings compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Western Conference Pacific Division. The Kings are the oldest ...

from 1992 to 1994, and for the

Minnesota Timberwolves The Minnesota Timberwolves are an American professional basketball team based in Minneapolis. The Timberwolves compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Western Conference Northwest Division. Founded in 19 ...

from 1994 to 1997. He later returned to the Bucks as an assistant in 2003, before retiring at the end of the 2004–05 season.

Personal life

Schuler married Gloria Sissea in July 1963. They remained married for 53 years until her death in 2016. Together, they had two daughters: Kimberly and Kristin. Schuler died on June 28, 2022, at the age of 81.

Head coaching record

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References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Schuler, Mike 1940 births 2022 deaths American men's basketball coaches American men's basketball players Army Black Knights men's basketball coaches Basketball coaches from Ohio Basketball players from Ohio Golden State Warriors assistant coaches Los Angeles Clippers head coaches Milwaukee Bucks assistant coaches Minnesota Timberwolves assistant coaches New Jersey Nets assistant coaches Ohio Bobcats men's basketball coaches Ohio Bobcats men's basketball players People from Portsmouth, Ohio Portland Trail Blazers head coaches Rice Owls men's basketball coaches Sacramento Kings assistant coaches Virginia Cavaliers men's basketball coaches VMI Keydets basketball coaches