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Portland Trail Blazers video analyst and developmental assistant Zach Cooper passed away Thursday, April 9th. The cause of death has not been released. Cooper worked as a video assistant with the team, as well as working out players on the court.
Cooper joined the team in September, after a year with the WNBA’s Atlanta Dream. Prior to that, he spent three years with the University of Houston, all as video coordinator and assistant. He worked many camps over the past decade, including the Blazers’ 2016 June mini-camp. He went to school at Central College in Iowa, with a graduate degree from University of Arkansas at Fayetteville.
The news was broken by The Athletic’s Shams Charania, and includes quotes from President of Basketball Operations Neil Olshey and Head Coach Terry Stotts. The organization has not released an official statement yet.
A video assistant on the Portland Trail Blazers, Zach Cooper, has died unexpectedly. Quotes from Portland President Neil Olshey and head coach Terry Stotts. pic.twitter.com/GJD6Y3mxie
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) April 13, 2020
The Athletic’s Jason Quick and Blazers in-house reporter Casey Holdahl also provided their thoughts.
Zach was an incredibly nice young man, RIP.
— Casey Holdahl (@CHold) April 13, 2020
Zach Cooper was 32 and in his first season with Blazers. Passed away on Thursday in Portland. Was a fixture on the court before games working out players. Just terrible news. https://t.co/AJXwlLcjgO
— Jason Quick (@jwquick) April 13, 2020
I never got to know Zach Cooper, but I did know he worked hard and was very much a part of the fabric that makes the Blazers’ family. Here he is working out players before a Feb. 25 game. He is in white shirt and black shorts. pic.twitter.com/E8gFeUqcpn
— Jason Quick (@jwquick) April 13, 2020