WASHINGTON — Former Washington Wizards coach Phil “Flip” Saunders has died at the age of 60.
Saunders coached the Washington Wizards between 2009 and 2012.
“Flip’s passion, love and knowledge of the game shined throughout his life as a player, coach and executive spanning all levels of basketball,” Wizards President Ernie Grunfeld said in a statement. “He will be remembered as one of the game’s great contributors, but we will miss him as a friend and a colleague.”
Saunders had most recently coached for the Minnesota Timberwolves. The team said he would not be coaching the team this year due to his health. The team announced the death Sunday.
During his Washington tenure, Saunders helped develop John Wall. “The sting of losing another loved one to cancer doesn’t get any easier,” Wall said in a post on Instagram.
“Coach Saunders guided me into this league, he believed in me and taught me what it takes to be a good player and a better man. RIP Coach,” Wall wrote.
Wizards Head Coach Randy Wittman said it was an honor to coach with Saunders, who he called a friend.
“Although I join the entire basketball world in deep sadness over his passing, we should all celebrate a great man who was able to do so much for the game he loved, the people and players he worked with and the communities where he lived,” Wittman said. “He was a tremendous coach, but an even better husband and father and my thoughts and prayers are with his entire family during this difficult time.”
Saunders was diagnosed with Hodgkins lymphoma in August. Doctors had regarded the lymphoma as “treatable.”
“I am attacking this with the same passion I do everything in my life, knowing this is a serious issue,” he said in a statement issued by the team at the time. “I also know that God has prepared me to fight this battle.”
But Saunders was hospitalized in early September during treatment. Timberwolves owner Glen Taylor announced this week that Saunders would not be back this season, due to his illness, The Associated Press reports.
The team suspended practice and media events Sunday.
Born Philip Daniel Saunders in Cleveland on Feb. 23, 1955, Saunders was nicknamed “Flip” by his mother Kay.
Saunders is survived by his wife and four children. His son, Ryan, is an assistant coach with the Timberwolves, ESPN reports.
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The Associated Press contributed to this story.
