Former Houston Rockets GM Carroll Dawson dies at age 86

Carroll Dawson (YouTube)

According to Field Level Media on Monday, former Houston Rockets general manager Carroll Dawson of Alba, Texas has passed away at the age of 86. Dawson was the general manager of the Rockets from 1996 to 2007.

In 870 games as the Rockets general manager, Dawson had a record of 461 wins and 409 losses for a winning percentage of .530.

Dawson also guided the Rockets to six postseason appearances. The furthest Houston reached the postseason while Dawson was general manager was in the 1997 NBA Playoffs. The Rockets swept the Minnesota Timberwolves three games to none in the first round and then beat the Seattle SuperSonics four games to three in a dramatic seven game Western Conference semifinal series. At the time, the Rockets were led by future hall of famers Hakeem Olajuwon of Lagos, Nigeria, Charles Barkley of Leeds, Alabama and Clyde Drexler of New Orleans, Louisiana. In the last two years, the NBA has named the Defensive Player of the Year Award the Hakeem Olajuwon Trophy.

Dawson was also the Rockets assistant coach. He held that role from 1980 to 1997. During that time Houston won the 1994 and 1995 NBA Finals. In 1994, the Rockets beat the New York Knicks in seven games. Then in 1995, the Rockets beat the Orlando Magic in a four game sweep.

In addition to woking in the NBA, Dawson also was a head coach at the National Collegiate Athletic Association level. He was the bench boss of the Baylor University Bears from 1973 to 1977. He had a record of 44 wins and 51 losses for a winning percentage of .463.