NEW YORK -- Larry Costello, who won NBA titles as a player and coach and was one of the last to use the two-handed set shot, has died. He was 70.

		Thu, December 13 Larry Costello loved everything about the game of basketball. An old-school type, he was a solidly built 6-1 guard, deceptively quick with a great first step and deadly with a two-hand set shot. more

Costello died of cancer Dec. 11 in Fort Myers, Fla., the Milwaukee Bucks said.

Costello played in five NBA All-Star games and twice led the league in foul shooting.

"Larry will be remembered as a vital contributor to the growth of the NBA," commissioner David Stern said. "He was universally respected as a hard-nosed competitor, and those who knew him also remember him as a very caring and compassionate man."

A 6-foot-1 guard, Costello played 12 seasons for the Philadelphia Warriors, Syracuse Nationals and Philadelphia 76ers and averaged 12.2 points per game. He scored 8,622 points in 706 career games.

Costello played with Wilt Chamberlain on the 76ers team that won the 1967 title after posting a then-record 68 victories.

	Milwauke Bucks coach Larry Costello is surrounded by players Bob Dandridge (10), Lew Alcindor (33), Greg Smith, Jon McClocklin (14) and Oscar Robertson (1).

A season after retiring, Costello became coach of the expansion Bucks in 1968-69. In his third season, led by Lew Alcindor and Oscar Robertson, Costello guided the Bucks to the NBA championship, marking the fastest rise ever in pro sports.

Known for his thick playbooks, crew cut and old-school style, Costello coached for 10 seasons with the Bucks and Chicago Bulls and finished with a 430-300 record. His teams were 37-23 in the playoffs.

"Larry was a very dedicated, direct coach who was instrumental in my development as a ballplayer," said former Bucks guard Jon McGlocklin, who played eight seasons for Costello. "At heart, under that exterior, he was a very honest man and a very good man who attacked his job with purity and with zeal."

"Larry Costello established a foundation for the franchise that enabled it to become one of the most successful expansion teams in any sport," said Bucks vice president of business operations John Steinmiller, who joined the club during its championship season.

"Larry's work ethic, dedication to the integrity of the game and love for Bucks fans in Milwaukee and throughout Wisconsin helped early to establish Bucks basketball in this community," he added.

Costello starred at Niagara University and his No. 69 jersey was retired by the school on Nov. 17. He wore No. 24 for his first two seasons and switched his number after playing 69 minutes, 40 seconds, in a six-overtime victory against Siena on Feb. 21, 1953.

Costello was born in the Syracuse suburb of Minoa, N.Y. He is survived by his wife, Barbara, four daughters, a brother and sister, and three grandchildren.

Memorial services will be held in Fort Myers and Minoa.

Information from SportsTicker was used in this report.