NEW YORK (AP) — Bernie Bickerstaff was honored Thursday as the winner of the National Basketball Coaches Association’s Chuck Daly Lifetime Achievement Award.

“Chuck Daly was an inspiration to everyone that loves NBA basketball,” Bickerstaff said in a statement. “To be a part of his legacy is one of their greatest honors of my career.”

Bickerstaff, an assistant coach with the Cleveland Cavaliers, began his NBA career at age 29 as an assistant with Washington and helped the Bullets win the 1978 title.

He was a head coach in Seattle, Denver, Washington and Charlotte and interim head coach with the Los Angeles Lakers, and also has worked for Chicago, Portland and the Cavaliers.

The award is named after late Detroit coach Chuck Daly.

Bickerstaff played college basketball at the University of Rio Grande.