Former Sac State basketball head coach loses battle to cancer at age 60

Don Newman was the head basketball coach at Sacramento State from 1992-1997. He passed away on Thursday at the age of 60.

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Don Newman was the head basketball coach at Sacramento State from 1992-1997. He passed away on Thursday at the age of 60.

Dominique Walker
September 13, 2018

Former Sacramento State basketball head coach Don Newman died from cancer on Tuesday at the age of 60, according to My San Antonio.

Newman was the head coach at Sac State from 1992-1997 and his overall record was 20-114. He was then the head coach at Arizona State in 1997-1998 before becoming an assistant coach for the NBA for 17 seasons.

He spent time as an assistant coach with the Milwaukee Bucks, New Jersey Nets and won two NBA championships in 2005 and 2007 with the San Antonio Spurs. His last year coaching was in 2016 with the Washington Wizards.

Current Memphis Grizzlies player and former Sacramento Kings guard Garrett Temple weighed in on Twitter.

“RIP Coach New,” the tweet said. “You believed in me when few others did. For that I will be forever grateful.”

NBA reporter and Sac State alumnus Sam Amick also weighed in on Twitter.

“I didn’t know Don during my Sac State days, but he was a gem every time I’d say hello inside NBA arenas,” he said. “Gone too soon indeed.”

The Washington Wizards also released a statement via twitter.

https://twitter.com/WashWizards/status/1040013675057348609

Newman is survived by his wife Michelle and their daughters Chandi and Devan.