Categories: News

Phil “Flip” Saunders Dies At Age 60 After Cancer Battle

Phil “Flip” Saunders, who had successful head coaching tenures with NBA teams like the Minnesota Timberwolves, Detroit Pistons and Washington Wizards, died on Sunday after losing his battle to cancer on Sunday. He was 60 years old.

Saunders was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma in June after coming back to the Timberwolves to not only be head coach but also as president of basketball operations. In early September, the Timberwolves announced that Saunders would not coach this season due to complications with the disease. Doctors also stated that the disease was “very treatable and curable” and that Saunders would remain at his post before complications arose.

In his career as a head coach, Saunders went 654-592 as his career overall record, which started with him coaching the Timberwolves in 1996, leading them to eight straight playoff appearances and building one of the NBA’s most prolific players in Kevin Garnett. After being fired in 2005, he coached the Pistons to three straight conference finals championship and a less but still prosperous three-year outing with the Wizards. He returned to the Timberwolves in a rebuild stage in acquiring Kevin Love and drafting Andrew Wiggins who are destined to be greats in the NBA’s future.

Many players and coaches took to social media to remember Saunders and his endless contribution to the NBA and the game of basketball.

Subscribe to our free weekly newsletter!

A week of sports news in your in-box.
We find the sports news you need to know, so you don't have to.

Forever in my heart….

Posted by Kevin Garnett on Sunday, October 25, 2015

Ryan Kappy

Recent Posts

VIDEO: Nike Pays Tribute to Rafael Nadal With 30-Foot Projection In Front of Eiffel Tower

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/tny--EWynOQ Nike paid tribute to Spanish tennis legend Rafael Nadal with a 10-meter-tall animated display…

16 hours ago

VIDEO: Rafael Nadal Gets Emotional Tribute as He Retires From Tennis

https://youtu.be/dtJoJz9hC48 Tennis legend Rafael Nadal bid a heartfelt goodbye to his devoted Spanish fans as he brought…

17 hours ago

VIDEO EXCLUSIVE: U.S. Olympic Fencer Eli Dershwitz Explains The Art Of Fencing

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/DQ9Rxhnuer4 U.S. Olympic fencer Eli Dershwitz shed light on the critical skills necessary in fencing…

2 days ago

Two Bears Offensive Linemen Return To Practice, Caleb Williams Desperate For Blocking

Two offensive linemen for the Chicago Bears returned to practice, a massive step in the…

3 days ago

VIDEO: UFC Heavyweight Champion Performs Viral Trump Dance In New York

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/s2g9t_33Myw President-elect Donald Trump received a warm welcome from Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) fighter Jon…

4 days ago

Aaron Rodgers Expresses Interest In 2025 Return, But The Jets Have Bigger Problems

Reporters asked quarterback Aaron Rodgers if he intended to return to the New York Jets…

4 days ago