Former Timberwolves coach and Gophers basketball great Kevin McHale has returned to Houston to coach the Rockets, two weeks after his daughter died of Lupus, The Associated Press reports.
The Hibbing native left the team Nov. 10 to return to his home in Minnesota to be with his 23-year-old daughter, Alexandra “Sasha” McHale.
Sasha McHale died of complications from the disease Nov. 24.
Upon his return to Houston, McHale reportedly did not address his daughter directly, but thanked all of those who gave their support.
Kevin McHale, an NBA Hall of Fame player who spent his entire career with the Boston Celtics, took over as the Rockets’ coach in June 2011.
The Rockets went 7-6 under interim coach Kelvin Sampson during Kevin McHale’s absence.
The team said it will honor Sasha McHale with a green and purple band on their jerseys, and a patch of the same color with her initials on their warm-up shirts. According to The AP, green was her her favorite color and purple symbolizes the fight against Lupus.
