NBA legend and Denver Nuggets icon Doug Moe passed away on Tuesday at the age of 87 after a long battle with cancer.

The Nuggets subsequently released a statement mourning this unique leader, saying he led the team through the most exciting golden decade in its history.

As one of the most charismatic head coaches of the 1980s, Doug Moe had a 15-season coaching career, accumulating a record of 628 wins and 529 losses, and was named NBA Coach of the Year in 1988.

Morey's most glorious years were undoubtedly during his time as head coach of the Denver Nuggets. It was there that he abandoned cumbersome fixed tactics and implemented the extremely free-flowing "Motion Offense" system. Under his leadership, the Nuggets led the league in scoring for five consecutive seasons and reached the Western Conference Finals in 1985.

Before taking up coaching, Morey was a basketball prodigy. He was a member of the All-American team at the University of North Carolina and later, as a veteran player in the ABA, was selected to the All-Star team three times in his short five-year career before retiring due to a knee injury. His coaching career began with the San Antonio Spurs and he briefly coached the Philadelphia 76ers, but the Denver Nuggets remained the true home of his basketball soul.

Beyond his record, Mo is remembered for his unconventional personality. Unlike Pat Riley, a slick-haired coach of the same era, Mo always dressed casually, went tieless, and roared from the sidelines with messy hair. He was sharp-tongued, often jokingly calling his favorite players "stiffs," but afterwards he could chat and laugh with them.

The passing of Doug Moe marks the end of an era. As Denver veteran sports commentator Ron Zappolo put it, "There will never be another sports figure like Doug Moe, not only because of his success, but also because of his charisma and kindness. He was truly one of a kind."

Image source: Internet/NBA official website