All-Star Game coach Hughes of Seattle to honor father

UNCASVILLE, CONN. » Dan Hughes knows what suit he will wear Saturday for the WNBA All-Star Game when he coaches Team Delle Donne.

It’s one his father, Harley Hughes, bought for him.

The elder Hughes died in the fall of 2009, a few months after his son coached his first All-Star Game.

“It still fits me and I thought it would be a fitting thing to wear,” the Seattle Storm coach said. “When I was picking out suits for this long road trip, I said I’m going to take this one. I definitely will have a moment and smile out there.”

Hughes got emotional talking about his father before the firstplace Seattle Storm played Connecticut last week.

“He was the guy that told me that I should be in the WNBA. He read about it, and I had been a men’s assistant forever. He knew I wanted to be a head coach. He said I should check this league out. He said that’s what you want to be in.”

Hughes laughed when he recalled that his dad’s happiest moment came when he coached the 2009 game.

“To this day I don’t get it,” Hughes said. “That was the single moment he was the proudest. Maybe it was because all of the offense, he was an offensive type of guy.”

The 63-year-old coach carries around a picture of his dad in his bag and always looks at it before games. Hughes