MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Fred Schaus, a former Los Angeles Lakers coach and general manager who coached Jerry West and Hot Rod Hundley at West Virginia, has died.

The former West Virginia University athletic director died Wednesday night in Morgantown. He was 84 and had been living in a nursing home.

Current athletic director Ed Pastilong announced Schaus' death Thursday on a WVU sports Web site.

Born in Newark, Ohio, Schaus earned all-America honors at West Virginia in 1949 and became the first Mountaineers player to score 1,000 career points.

He was the No. 1 overall pick in the NBA draft and played five seasons with the Fort Wayne Pistons and New York Knicks.

He compiled a 127-26 record as head coach at West Virginia from 1954 to 1960, including five straight NCAA tournament berths.

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