John Bach, a longtime NBA coach who included the Golden State Warriors in his resume, died Monday at age 91.
Bach served as the team’s head coach in 1980 (as an interim coach after Al Attles’ firing) and as the team’s official boss from 1983 to 1986, during one of the team’s several elongated periods of struggle (they were 95-172 under Bach). He was replaced by George Karl, who gave way within two years to Don Nelson, who benefited from the Run TMC years.
Bach, though, was considered a superb strategist and sounding board for the coaches he served, including Phil Jackson in Chicago during the Jordan Era, plus Attles, Doug Collins (in Chicago, Detroit and Washington), Allan Bristow and finally Scott Skiles before ending his bench years in 2004 at age 79.
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Bach was a star at Fordham, and played briefly with the Boston Celtics in 1948 before beginning his coaching career at his alma mater at the absurdly young age of 26. He stayed for 18 years and took the Rams to two NCAA Tournaments and five NITs before being hired as the head coach at Penn State and eventually to the NBA to complete his 54-year career.