Carroll Dawson
{{Short description|American basketball player, coach, and general manager (1938–2024)}}
{{Use American English|date=November 2024}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=November 2024}}
{{Infobox basketball biography
| image = Carroll Dawson, circa 1976.png
| name = Carroll Dawson
| nationality = American
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1938|5|3|mf=y}}
| death_place = {{Death date and age|2024|9|9|1938|5|3|mf=y}}
| college = Paris Junior College
Baylor
| coach_start = 1973
| coach_end = 1997
| cyears1 = 1973–1977
| cteam1 = Baylor
| cyears2 = 1980–1997
| cteam2 = Houston Rockets (assistant)
| highlights = As assistant coach:
- 2× NBA champion (1994, 1995)
| caption = Dawson, {{Circa|1976}}
}}
Carroll Dawson (May 3, 1938 – September 9, 2024) was an American assistant coach and general manager in the National Basketball Association (NBA). He worked for the Houston Rockets franchise for 27 years before retiring in 2007.
College career
A native of Alba, Texas, Dawson played collegiate basketball at Paris Junior College, where he attained the nickname, "Big Orange" and at Baylor University, during the late 1950s and early 1960s. In 1960, the 6'5" center earned All-Southwest Conference honors, after averaging 16.4 points per game for the Baylor Bears.
Coaching and managerial career
After his college career, he was drafted into the Army, and stationed at Fort Knox, as a tank commander. From 1973 to 1977, he then served as Baylor's men's basketball head coach. He then worked as a scout for the NFL's Dallas Cowboys, and as a salesman for Converse shoes, before becoming an assistant coach for the Houston Rockets in 1979.
In 1989, Dawson was struck by lightning, during a golf outing, and over the next few years, his vision became progressively worse. Unable to continue his coaching duties, Dawson moved to the Rockets' front office, becoming general manager in 1996. Dawson's career with The Rockets lasted 27 years.{{Cite news |url=https://www.nba.com/rockets/news/Dawson_set_to_end_a_27year_ru-221038-34.html |title=Dawson set to end a 27-year run with the Rockets {{!}} Houston Rockets|work=Houston Rockets|access-date=2018-08-15|language=en}} Among his most notable accomplishments as the general manager of the Rockets, were his selection of Yao Ming in the 2002 NBA draft, and his seven-player trade to acquire NBA scoring champ Tracy McGrady, in 2004.
After announcing Daryl Morey as his successor, the Rockets honored Dawson by hanging a banner with the initials "CD" in the rafters of the Toyota Center, during a game with the Phoenix Suns.
Head coaching record
{{CBB Yearly Record Start|type=coach|conference=|postseason=}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Subhead
|name=Baylor Bears
|conference=Southwest Conference
|startyear=1973
|endyear=1977}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
|season=1973–74
|name=Baylor|overall=12–13|conference=5–9
|confstanding=6th
|postseason=}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
|season=1974–75
|name=Baylor|overall=10–16|conference=6–8
|confstanding=4th
|postseason=}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
|season=1975–76
|name=Baylor|overall=12–15|conference=8–8
|confstanding=5th
|postseason=}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
|season=1976–77
|name=Baylor|overall=11–17|conference=5–11
|confstanding=7th
|postseason=}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Subtotal|name=Baylor|overall=44–51|confrecord=24–36}}
{{CBB Yearly Record End|overall=44–51}}
Death
Dawson died on September 9, 2024, at the age of 86.[https://www.houstonchronicle.com/sports/rockets/article/carroll-dawson-obit-houston-baylor-19752454.php Carroll Dawson, a key part of Rockets' titles, dies at 86]
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [http://www.nba.com/rockets/news/Dawson_set_to_end_a_27year_ru-221038-34.html Career retrospective] at NBA.com
- {{sports links}}
{{Baylor Bears basketball coach navbox}}
{{Houston Rockets general manager navbox}}
{{Houston Rockets 1993–94 NBA champions}}
{{Houston Rockets 1994–95 NBA champions}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Dawson, Carroll}}
Category:American men's basketball players
Category:Basketball coaches from Texas
Category:Basketball players from Texas
Category:Baylor Bears men's basketball coaches
Category:Baylor Bears men's basketball players
Category:Dallas Cowboys scouts
Category:Houston Rockets assistant coaches
Category:Houston Rockets general managers
Category:Paris Dragons basketball players
Category:People from Rains County, Texas