Former DePaul basketball player, coach Joey Meyer dies at 74

CHICAGO, Ill. (WISH-TV) – ESPN Friday night reported that Joey Meyer, a former basketball player and Coach at DePaul University, had died. He was 74.

Meyer coached the Blue Demons to seven NCAA tournament appearances in 13 seasons, ESPN reported.

According to ESPN, citing a release from the school, Meyer died Friday in the Chicago suburb of Hinsdale. He was surrounded by family.

There was no further information.

ESPN reported that Joey Meyer played for his father, Ray, for three seasons from 1968 to 1971. He averaged 16.4 points in 75 games for DePaul.

Meyer was then selected by the Buffalo Braves in the 18th round of the 1971 NBA draft, but never appeared in a league game, ESPN reported.

Joey Meyer went 231-158 in his 13 seasons as head coach at DePaul. There, ESPN reported, he coached players such as Rod Strickland, David Booth and Tom Kleinschmidt.

Meyer served as an assistant for his father for 11 seasons before taking over when his father retired after coaching DePaul from 1942 to 1984, according to ESPN.

Meyer went 231-158 in his 13 seasons as DePaul’s head coach.

Joey Meyer got the Blue Demons into the NCAA tourney in each of his first five seasons. They reached the Sweet 16 in 1986 and 1987.

Following his time at DePaul, the Chicago native coached in the NBA’s developmental league and worked as a regional scout for the LA Clippers, said ESPN.