Former Kansas University assistant coach Ed Manning, father of current assistant coach Danny Manning, died Friday morning in Harris Methodist Hospital in Fort Worth, Texas. Ed Manning, who battled a long-standing heart condition, was 68.

Services for Manning are pending.

“This is a huge loss for our family and the Jayhawk family,” Danny Manning said Friday. He rode the bus to Columbia, Mo., Friday afternoon with the rest of KU’s coaches and players for today’s game against Missouri. “Many people have already reached out to us in such a short period, and we are very grateful for all the thoughts, well wishes and prayers for my father and for us.”

Ed Manning played basketball collegiately at Jackson State in Jackson, Miss. He then played professionally in the NBA, ABA and overseas.

Following his professional basketball career, Manning was an assistant coach at North Carolina A&T. He would later become an assistant coach at KU under coach Larry Brown from 1984-88. During that time, KU won the 1984 Big Eight tournament, advanced to two NCAA Final Fours (1986 and 1988) and won the 1988 national championship. Additionally, KU won the 1986 Big Eight regular-season and postseason championships en route to its Final Four appearance with Manning on the sidelines.

Following his stint at KU, Manning followed Brown and was an NBA assistant coach with the San Antonio Spurs. He then worked as a scout in the NBA, in recent years for the Spurs.

“Today, KU not only lost someone who was very instrumental to the success of Kansas basketball in the mid 1980s, but also a very good man who was thought of so highly by everyone who came in contact with him,” said Kansas head coach Bill Self, who was on staff at KU in 1985-86.