Legendary UNLV basketball coach Jerry Tarkanian is hospitalized in Las Vegas with breathing trouble and an infection.
Son Danny Tarkanian described his fathers condition as “minute by minute.”
Tarkanian, 84, was taken by ambulance and admitted to the intensive care unit at the Valley Hospital Medical Center in Las Vegas on Monday night, after his blood oxygen fell to dangerously low levels.
Danny said doctors worked overnight to stabilize his father’s condition and identify the infection.
Tarkanian’s wife, Louis, told Las Vegas Review Journal, “It was very scary. The Doctors don’t know what happened. But unfortunately thats how these things happen.”
The Las Vegas Review Journal reported Tuesday morning that Tarkanian is resting in the ICU.
Tarkanian was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2013. He retired in 2002 after 31 years of coaching Division 1 basketball. Tarkanian coached Long Beach State, UNLV and Fresno State in his illustrious career. “Tark the Shark” is best remembered for his 19 seasons at UNLV, in which he led the Runnin’ Rebels to 4 Final-Four appearances and won the 1990 National Championship.
UPDATE: Feb. 7, 12:07 PM
Hall of Fame basketball Jerry Tarkanian has died. The 84-year-old was fighting a respiratory ailment and an infection after being hospitalized on Monday.