Former NBA head coach George Karl was drawn to Lincoln, Nebraska for a good cause on Friday. He was the keynote speaker for the inaugural Steve Vertin Memorial MRC Basketball Coaches Clinic. 

The event was hosted at Lincoln Plus X. Proceeds benefited Vertin's three grandchildren, who all suffer from Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. 

Vertin's lost his battle with cancer last month and his son, J.L., organized the event in honor of his father. Karl was brought on board by one of his former coaches who played for Vertin in high school. 

Karl ranks fifth in NBA history with 1,175 coaching wins. After a five-year playing career with the San Antonio Spurs, he jumped into coaching as an assistant with the franchise in 1978. 

Karl got his first head coaching opportunity with the Cleveland Cavaliers in 1984. He had his greatest success with the Seattle Sonics from 1991-98, guiding the team to seven straight playoff appearances and an NBA Finals trip in 1996. 

Karl went on to make the playoffs in 13 of the next 14 seasons while coaching the Milwaukee Bucks and Denver Nuggets. He was named NBA Coach of the Year for the first time in 2013 and most recently coached the Sacramento Kings. 

To inquire about George Karl's speaking fee and appearance cost, contact the agents at Athlete Speakers by calling us at 800-916-6008 or by Starting Your Booking Request Now.

George Karl on The Dan Patrick Show: