Jerry Sloan, who spent a majority of his coaching career with the Utah Jazz, passed away on Friday. He was 78 years old.
The Hall of Fame basketball coach died from complications from Parkinson’s disease and Lewy body dementia, which he had revealed diagnoses for in April 2016.
“Jerry Sloan will always be synonymous with the Utah Jazz,” the team said in a statement. “He will forever be a part of the Utah Jazz organization and we join his family, friends and fans in mourning his loss. We are so thankful for what he accomplished here in Utah and the decades of dedication, loyalty and tenacity he brought to our franchise.”
Sloan was one of the greatest coaches in NBA history. He currently ranks No. 4 on the all-time winningest coaches list with 1,221 victories. He’s also one of just two coaches to win 1,000 games with one team.
Sloan was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2009 after a 26-year head-coaching career, 23 of them with the Jazz. His no-nonsense style was a perfect fit with Hall of Fame players in John Stockton and Karl Malone. Sloan led the franchise to 15 consecutive playoff appearances, including the 1997 and 1998 NBA Finals.
Sloan played 11 years in the NBA, averaging 14 points per game. He was a two-time All-Star and was named to the NBA All-Defensive first team four times. Sloan still ranks in the top five in Bulls franchise history in points, rebounds and games. He’s also only NBA player to average more than seven rebounds and more than two steals per game in his career.
