Ray Patterson (basketball)

Ray Patterson (born April 12, 1922, died April 3, 2011) was an American basketball executive who served as the general manager of several NBA teams.

Patterson held various executive positions in the NBA, notably with the Milwaukee Bucks, where he served as general manager from 1968 to 1972. During his tenure, the Bucks drafted Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (then Lew Alcindor) in 1969 and acquired Oscar Robertson in 1970, leading to the team's NBA championship in 1971.

Following his time with the Bucks, Patterson became the general manager of the Houston Rockets, a role he held from 1972 to 1980. He then moved to the Portland Trail Blazers, serving as their general manager from 1980 to 1986.

Patterson was known for his shrewd player acquisitions and his ability to build successful teams. He was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame as a contributor in 2019.