Les Habegger

Habegger was born in Berne, Indiana on November 13, 1924.[1] He lived with the Amish and had nine siblings.[2] For his post-secondary education, Habegger went to Northwestern College, Wheaton College and the University of Minnesota.[3]

For his military experience, Habegger was part of the Battle of the Bulge.[4] He worked with the 274th Infantry Regiment as a combat medic during the 1940s.[5] After World War II, Habegger began assistant coaching for Northwestern College while completing his college education. Upon graduating, he became a basketball coach for the Seattle Pacific Falcons in 1956 as an assistant coach before being promoted to head coach in 1957.[6]

As a member of the NAIA, his team did not qualify for the 1961 NAIA basketball tournament after they were defeated in the District I playoffs final that year.[7][8] In the NCAA, Habegger and his team were part of the 1965 NCAA College Division basketball tournament and reached the quarterfinals.[9][10] After leaving his coaching position in 1974, Habegger had 272 wins and 176 losses.[11] With his wins, Habegger set a career record for Seattle Pacific University.[12]

Outside of the NCAA, Habegger began working in the NBA as an assistant coach for the Seattle SuperSonics in 1977.[12] While with Seattle, Habegger was selected to work for the Western Conference team at the 1980 NBA All-Star Game.[13] He was promoted to general manager of the SuperSonics in 1983 and remained as GM until 1985.[14] After his position of general manager ended, Habegger became the SuperSonics's Habegger director of player personnel in April 1985.[15] He remained with the SuperSonics until 1986 and joined the Milwaukee Bucks as an assistant coach the following year.[16]

From 1987 to 1990, Habegger was a coach in Germany as part of the Basketball Bundesliga league.[17][18] Between 1988 and 1989, Habegger and Steiner Bayreuth won back to back German Basketball Cups.[19] In 1989, Habegger and Steiner won the BBL championship.[20] At FIBA competitions, his team was fifth at the 1988–89 FIBA European Cup Winners' Cup.[21] Before ending his position in 1990, Habegger could not coach Steiner due to his injured back.[22] That year, Habegger went to the Washington Huskies to become an assistant basketball coach.[23] During the mid-1990s, Habegger decided not to resume his basketball experience in Germany when Steiner asked him to become their coach again.[4]

Habegger had two children before he died on July 6, 2017, in Spokane, Washington.[24][12]

Habegger was inducted into the University of Northwestern – St. Paul Hall of Fame in 2003[25] and the Seattle Pacific University Hall of Fame in 2004.[18] He also entered the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame in 2014.[26]