Skip navigation
Favorites
Sign up to follow your favorites on all your devices.
Sign up

Jerry Tarkanian reportedly ‘OK’ after mild heart attack

Mountain West Basketball Tournament - Semifinals UNLV v New Mexico

LAS VEGAS, NV - MARCH 09: Former UNLV Rebels head basketball coach Jerry Tarkanian attends a semifinal game of the Conoco Mountain West Conference Basketball tournament between the Rebels and the New Mexico Lobos at the Thomas & Mack Center March 9, 2012 in Las Vegas, Nevada. New Mexico won 72-67. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)

Getty Images

Legendary UNLV coach Jerry Tarkanian is recovering from a mild heart attack suffered Tuesday, the Las Vegas Review-Journal reported.

Tarkanian, 81, started wheezing during a doctor’s visit and was moved to another hospital for precautionary reasons. His daughter, Jodie Diamant, told the paper he was alert and joking while visiting him in the intensive care unit.

“It was a mild heart attack,” he son Danny told the paper. “Supposedly, he’s OK right now. He said he feels pretty good, but he was scared.”

Tarkanian won the 1990 national title with UNLV and also took the Rebels to four Final Fours. He won 706 games in his career, which also included stints at Long Beach State and Fresno State. He retired from coaching in 2002.

You also can follow me on Twitter @MikeMillerNBC.