NBA legend Hubie Brown breaks down in tears recounting deaths of wife, son and daughter in recent past

Hall of Famer Hubie Brown is one of the most revered figures in professional basketball. Between his experience as a player, coach and analyst, Brown has seen the game as we know it grow from the days before the 3-point line existed all the way to the modern era.

Over the past two years, however, the 91-year-old has suffered a series of tragic losses in his personal life. Two years ago, Brown's youngest daughter died at the age of 57. Then, in early June, the Hall of Famer lost his wife after a five-year battle with dementia.

Most recently, Hubie Brown's 54-year-old son had a fatal heart attack in November. During an appearance on Chris "Mad Dog" Russo's "Daily Bite" this week, Brown was asked how he's able to remain so strong.

"Grieving makes you grow up," Brown said. "Grieving on a daily basis. ... We're just running a tough period of time right now, but every day you wake up and you realize the sacrifices that she made from her career to being a mom, getting four kids through college and all the moves and then all of the aggravation of coaching at every level.

"When things weren't going well, she was able to keep us going. So I just like to say one thing. She was the heart and soul of our family. And I can't thank her enough on a daily basis."

"I never could have gotten to where I got without her" - Hubie Brown opens up on his wife Claire and how she helped him throughout his career

As Hubie Brown told Chris "Mad Dog" Russo and listeners, his wife died at the age of 87 after a five-year battle with dementia. At the time of her death, she and the famed coach had been married for 63 years.

Together, the two had three daughters and a son, whom they raised throughout Brown's career as a coach. After beginning his career at the high school level with St. Mary Academy in 1955, Brown went on to coach at the collegiate level in the late 1960s.

He then made the transition to the NBA level in the late 1970s, first as an assistant and then as a head coach. Through it all, Hubie Brown said his wife's openness made all the difference:

"She never complained about the new house, the new church, the new neighborhood, the new schools for kids. She just made it all happen. And Every day I appreciate [my wife] more because I never could have gotten to where I got without her.

"Because she would always say the same thing. When we went from high school to high school to college to college and then to the pros, she would always say the same thing. 'Let's give it a try.'"

On Sunday, Brown will call the final game of his legendary career when the Milwaukee Bucks square off against the Philadelphia 76ers.