George Irvine (basketball)

George Irvine
Personal information
Born(1948-02-01)February 1, 1948
Seattle, Washington, U.S.
DiedMay 8, 2017(2017-05-08) (aged 69)
Seattle, Washington, U.S.
Listed height6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)
Listed weight200 lb (91 kg)
Career information
High schoolBallard (Seattle, Washington)
CollegeWashington (1967–1970)
NBA draft1970: 8th round, 125th overall pick
Selected by the Seattle SuperSonics
Playing career1970–1976
PositionSmall forward
Number31, 20
Career history
As player:
19701975Virginia Squires
1976Denver Nuggets
As coach:
19771980Denver Nuggets (assistant)
19801983Indiana Pacers (assistant)
19841986,
1988–1989
Indiana Pacers
19911995Indiana Pacers (assistant)
19951997Golden State Warriors (assistant)
1999–2000Detroit Pistons (assistant)
20002001Detroit Pistons
Career highlights and awards
  • First-team All-Pac-8 (1970)
  • Second-team All-Pac-8 (1969)
Career ABA statistics
Points3,093 (9.5 ppg)
Rebounds959 (3.0 rpg)
Assists428 (1.3 apg)
Stats at Basketball Reference

George Ramsey Irvine (February 1, 1948 – May 8, 2017) was an American professional basketball player and coach. A 6'6" forward, Irvine played collegiately at the University of Washington, where he was a first-team All-Pac-8 selection in 1970. He was selected by the Seattle SuperSonics in the 8th round of the 1970 NBA draft. However, he never played for his hometown SuperSonics, nor for any other NBA team. Instead, Irvine opted to play for the team that selected him in the American Basketball Association draft, the Virginia Squires. Irvine played for the Squires for five seasons and then played a final pro season with the Denver Nuggets during the 1975–76 season, the ABA's final season prior to the ABA-NBA merger.

Irvine would later serve as head coach for two NBA teams; the Indiana Pacers, for two stints, and the Detroit Pistons. He was inducted into the Pac-12 Basketball Hall of Honor during the 2012 Pac-12 Conference men's basketball tournament, March 10, 2012.[1] He died on May 8, 2017, at the age of 69 of cancer.[2]