Although Terry Stotts is no longer the head coach of the Portland Trail Blazers, he and the team have separated amicably.

After nine seasons with the team, his time came to an end following the team’s first-round loss to the Denver Nuggets.

Stotts finishes 402-318 as Blazers head coach, second-all time in wins in franchise history.

To say farewell to the team, Stotts penned a letter to the team and fan base.

Here it is in its entirety:

“All good things must come to an end”. An English Poet

In 2012, when I was hired as the Trail Blazers’ Head Coach, I could not have imagined the incredible ride this coaching journey would take. The extraordinary opportunity to be the Head Coach of the Blazers for the last nine years has been such an honor and privilege. It certainly has been far more than a “good thing”, and now it has come to an end.

There are SO many people to thank:

First and foremost, to the late Paul Allen and to Neil Olshey for giving me the opportunity to once again be an NBA Head Coach and for their partnership. Also, to Jody Allen for her trust and ongoing stewardship of this exceptional franchise.

Obviously, a special thank you must go to the Damian Lillard. These last nine years would not have been possible for me if it were not for the talent, leadership, and trust of Damian Lillard, a true MVP.  I am immensely proud of the culture Neil, Damian and I created with the Blazers.

THANK YOU RIP CITY fans! You are incredibly special and unique. The passion and love you have for your Blazers are second to none.  Every season, your support and overwhelming enthusiasm made Moda Center the most difficult arena for opponents and the best home court advantage in the NBA. I know of no more loyal fans than those of Blazer Nation. I cherished it and never took it for granted.

To the Players: Without a doubt, the NBA is a player’s league, and it is a team sport.  So, thank you to the 71 talented players who played for us these past 9 seasons. I have many fond memories of each team and every player.

To my coaching staffs:  I loved my coaching staffs through the years and thank them for their tireless work ethic, passion, and excellence. But mostly, I thank them for their friendship and humor. They made the work enjoyable, even when times were difficult. I often told them that our coaches’ meetings were the best part of my day.

To all the Blazer support staff, thank you! To everyone at the Practice Facility, Health and Performance, Basketball Operations, Media Relations, Social Media, and Blazers Broadcasting. They all do their jobs with such excellence and it was my honor working with them. A special thank you to our Athletic Trainer and Sommelier Geoff Clark, and my right-hand assistant Beth Hancock. Additionally, thank you to Chris McGowan and all the Blazers Business Operations at Moda Center. 

Being the Head Coach of the Trail Blazers has been a life changing experience. There have been so many special memories that my wife, Jan, and I will always cherish; memories involving wonderful people and lasting friendships. We thoroughly enjoy living in Portland and all that Oregon has to offer. We are proud to call Portland home.

Thank you RIP CITY.  Stay safe and be well

The good times and memories will last forever.

Keep Portland Weird.

Terry and Jan Stotts