"The Cavaliers organization mourns the loss of former head coach Bill Fitch, as he passed away late Wednesday evening at the age of 89.
In 1970, Coach Fitch became the Cavs’ first head coach and went on to be the longest tenured coach in franchise history. He led and inspired a very special group that went to the playoffs three times (1976-1978), starting with “The Miracle of Richfield” season, when the team won their first division title. Coach Fitch was named the NBA Coach of the Year that season as well. He was a member of the inaugural class of the Cavaliers Wall of Honor in 2019, the same year he was elected to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.