DENVER — Vince Boryla, a former player, coach and general manager in the NBA, died Sunday. He was 89.
The death was confirmed by the Denver Nuggets and the University of Denver, where he’s a member of the school’s Hall of Fame.
Boryla played five seasons for the New York Knicks in the 1950s before later taking over as their coach for three seasons.
While a general manager with the Nuggets, Boryla orchestrated a blockbuster deal with Portland in 1984 that brought Wayne Cooper, Fat Lever and Calvin Natt to town for Kiki Vandeweghe. Denver made it to the Western Conference finals that season and Boryla was named the NBA’s Executive of the Year.