Sad News About Bill Musselman

[S. Smith]

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) -- Portland Trail Blazers assistant Bill
Musselman has been diagnosed with multiple myeloma, the same form
of cancer that struck New York Yankees pitching coach Mel
Stottlemyre, the Star Tribune reported today.

Musselman, 59, former coach of the Minnesota Timberwolves and
Cleveland Cavaliers, found out about the disease last Friday.

``It's supposed to be rare,'' Musselman told the newspaper.

``For something that's rare, there seem to be quite a few sports
people who have it, all of a sudden.''

Roger Neilson, the Philadelphia Flyers coach, also is fighting
the disease.

Musselman had a stroke Oct. 28, and since has learned it could
have been triggered by myeloma, or cancer of the bone marrow.

``I had fully recovered from the stroke,'' Musselman said.

``I was putting in two hours of conditioning every day. I was on
the treadmill, on the StairMaster, the bicycle ... getting back in
shape. Then, I started losing energy. I wasn't maintaining my
progress. I started to get swelling in my legs.''

Attempts to reach Musselman and Trail Blazers officials were not
immediately successful.

During his recovery from the stroke, Musselman has been going to
Blazers practices, writing scouting reports and sitting behind the
bench at the Rose Garden.

``I'm lucky, in a way,'' Musselman told the newspaper. ``The
doctors told me it probably would have been two more years before
there was any indication of the cancer, if they hadn't been
checking me so close because of the stroke. Now I'm going to beat
this.''

Musselman compiled a career record of 233-84 as a college coach
at Ashland, Minnesota and South Alabama.

He has been a head coach in four professional leagues -- the NBA,
Continental Basketball Association, American Basketball Association
and Western Basketball Association. His career record in the pros
is 603-426, and he won four consecutive CBA championships.