Fred Schaus
Los Angeles Lakers Head Coach | Four NBA Finals Appearances | 315 NBA Coaching Wins
Frederick Appleton Schaus was born June 30, 1925, in Newark, Ohio. A former NBA player and successful West Virginia University coach, he was chosen to lead the Lakers when the franchise moved from Minneapolis to Los Angeles in 1960.
Schaus became the Lakers’ first Los Angeles-era head coach, directing an emerging partnership between Elgin Baylor and Jerry West. During seven seasons, his teams reached four NBA Finals but faced the Boston Celtics dynasty in each of those championship series.
His NBA regular-season coaching record was 315-245 over 560 games. In 1967 he moved from the bench to the Lakers’ general-manager position, later returning to college coaching.
Schaus died on February 10, 2010, at the age of 84.
- Overall Coaching Record: 315-245
Coaching Career
Schaus opened the franchise’s Los Angeles era with a 36-43 record in 1960-61. The Lakers reached the Western Division finals despite finishing below .500 during the regular season.
With Baylor and West anchoring the roster, Los Angeles won its division in 1961-62 and 1962-63 and played Boston in the NBA Finals both years. The Lakers returned to the Finals in 1965 and 1966, again falling to the Celtics.
The 1966-67 team finished 36-45 and lost in the opening playoff round. Schaus shifted into management after the season, with Butch van Breda Kolff succeeding him on the sideline.
Across his seven seasons, the Lakers went 315-245 in the regular season and 33-38 in the playoffs. His tenure helped establish Los Angeles as a consistent Western contender.
Notable Players Coached
- Jerry West
- Hall of Fame guard and future NBA Finals MVP
- Elgin Baylor
- Hall of Fame forward and eleven-time NBA All-Star
- Gail Goodrich
- Future Hall of Fame guard who debuted with Los Angeles in 1965