PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) Harry Glickman, the founder of the Portland Trail Blazers and general manager of the franchise's only NBA title-winning team in 1977, died Wednesday. He was 96.

The team announced Glickman's death; no cause was given. In their tweet, the Trail Blazers described Glickman as: "The father of professional sports in Oregon, a true Trail Blazer."

Portland was granted an expansion franchise in 1970. Glickman was part of the original ownership team, along with Herman Sarkowsky, Larry Weinberg and Robert Schmertz, that paid the league's $3.7 million expansion fee, according to the team's website. Glickman was one of the shareholders who sold the club to Paul Allen in 1988.