Former NBA coach Fitzsimmons dies

PHOENIX — Lowell “Cotton” Fitzsimmons, who won 832 games in 21 seasons as an NBA coach, died Saturday due to complications from lung cancer. He was 72.

Fitzsimmons was executive vice president of the Phoenix Suns, a team he coached on three occasions.

A malignant tumor was found on Fitzsimmons’ lung, near his heart, in April and he had been in a Phoenix-area care center since suffering a stroke earlier this month.

The colorful coach, born in Hannibal, Mo., was a television and radio commentator for the Suns in recent years.

“Cotton Fitzsimmons embodied all things that are great about life and the game of basketball,” Suns chairman and CEO Jerry Colangelo said. “His energy, passion and upbeat approach to everything impacted those that he touched in a positive and meaningful way. The Suns, the city of Phoenix and the entire NBA family will miss the game’s ultimate coach, teacher and communicator.”

Colangelo jokingly said that Fitzsimmons was the only man he’d given a lifetime contract, and both said they’d never had any agreement beyond a handshake in Fitzsimmons’ years with the franchise.

Fitzsimmons had coaching stints with five teams — Phoenix, Atlanta, Buffalo, Kansas City and San Antonio. He had a 832-775 (.518) record in the NBA, ranking him 10th in career victories.

Fitzsimmons was head coach at Kansas State for two seasons, earning Big Eight coach of the year honors in 1970, when he directed the Wildcats to the conference title and the NCAA regional semifinals.