Rubin provided memorable times before NBA failure

The Feb. 27 Sports article “Making NBA history, for the worst possible reason” accurately portrayed Roy Rubin’s only shot as an NBA coach, with the Philadelphia 76ers, as an abysmal failure.

However, Rubin was more than an outstanding college coach with Long Island University, as the article mentioned, and an outstanding high school coach before that. I can also speak to my experience with him at a summer basketball camp.

While he was coaching at LIU, he also was an owner and coach at Camp Chippewa in New Hampshire. I was fortunate to play under him at the camp as a 14-year-old about to enter 10th grade. I was definitely the worst of the players that summer.

I was there by the grace of my father’s friendship with Rubin, a relationship that went back to their high school days. I never played high school or college ball; youth leagues were fine for me. Rubin was a superb coach, tutor and passionate leader of youths; he instilled great values.

The highlight for me that summer, thanks to Rubin, was when we participated in Bob Cousy’s Camp Graylag tournament — when I met the Boston Celtic great. The article brought back all those memories.

Rubin was a superb coach, tutor and passionate leader of youths; he instilled great values.