Jerry Sloan

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Lore & Background

After playing college basketball with the Evansville Purple Aces, Sloan was selected by the Baltimore Bullets with the fourth overall pick of the 1965 NBA draft. He spent his rookie season with the Bullets before playing the remainder of his career with the Chicago Bulls, retiring due to injuries in 1976. Nicknamed 'the Original Bull', he was a two-time NBA All-Star, a six-time member of the All-Defensive Team and the first player to have his number retired by the Bulls. Sloan then became a coach, and had a career regular-season win–loss record of 1,221–803, placing him third all-time in NBA wins at the time he retired. He was the fifth coach to reach 1,000 NBA victories and is one of two coaches in NBA history to record 1,000 wins with one club (the Utah Jazz). Sloan coached the Jazz to 15 consecutive playoff appearances from 1989 to 2003. He is one of only four coaches in NBA history with 15-plus consecutive seasons that have a winning record. He led Utah to the NBA Finals in 1997 and 1998, but lost to Chicago both times. After Tom Kelly stepped down as manager of the Minnesota Twins in Major League Baseball in 2001, Sloan became the longest-tenured head coach in American major league sports with their current franchise. He resigned mid-season from the Jazz in 2011 before returning in 2013 as an adviser and scouting consultant.

In Their Own Story

On March 5, 1969, Sloan etched his name in Chicago Bulls history with a career-high 43 points against the Milwaukee Bucks. Standing at just 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m), he defied expectations by averaging 7.4 rebounds per game for his career, including a season where he grabbed 9.1 boards. His nickname 'the Original Bull' wasn't just a moniker; it was a reflection of his tenacious defense that helped the franchise reach its first division title before the Jordan era. In 1978, the Bulls retired his number 4 jersey, making him the first player in franchise history to receive this honor. His playing career ended in 1976 after a series of knee injuries. Later, as head coach starting in 1979, he led the team to the playoffs in his second year. However, following a difficult start in the subsequent campaign, he was fired after winning only 94 games and losing 121 over less than three seasons.

Reader's Guide

Born and raised in Gobbler's Knob, Illinois, 15 miles (24 km) south of McLeansboro, Sloan was the youngest of 10 children and was raised by a single mother after his father died when Jerry was 4 years old. He would wake up at 4:30 a.m. to do farm chores and then walk almost two miles to get to school in time for 7 a.m. basketball practice. After school, he would walk back home from practice. Sloan graduated an all-state player from McLeansboro High School in 1960. He first enrolled at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, withdrew, enrolled at Southern Illinois University, and withdrew once more before attending Evansville, where he played college basketball for the Evansville Purple Aces from 1962 to 1965, where he was named the Indiana Collegiate Conference (ICC) Player of the Year in 1963 and 1965 and a three-time first-team All-ICC selection. He was chosen as the 19th overall pick in the 1964 NBA draft by the Baltimore Bullets but he remained in college and led the Purple Aces to their second in two consecutive Division II national titles. Sloan was selected fourth in the 1965 NBA draft by the Baltimore Bullets. The Chicago Bulls, an expansion team, selected Sloan in the 1966 NBA expansion draft. He became known as 'the Original Bull', known for his tenacious defense, leading them to the playoffs in their first season. After a series of knee injuries, he retired in 1976. He averaged more than 18 points a game in 1970–71, and over 15 points per game three other seasons. Sloan's scored a career high of 43 points in a win against the Milwaukee Bucks on March 5, 1969. Despite his height of only 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m), his career rebounding average was 7.4 rebounds per game, with one season having an average of 9.1 rebounds. He was a career 72 percent free throw shooter. His number 4 jersey was subsequently retired by the Chicago Bulls in 1978, becoming the first retired jersey in franchise history. While at Evansville, coach Arad McCutchan suggested that Sloan coach at his alma mater. After retiring in 1976, Sloan took the Evansville job, but withdrew after five days. That same season, the Evansville basketball team and coaching staff were killed in a plane crash at Evansville Airport. Two years later, Sloan was hired by the Bulls as a scout. After one season in this role, he became an assistant coach with the team. In 1979, Sloan was promoted to the p

Did You Know?

• Sloan was the first player to have his number retired by the Chicago Bulls.
• He is one of only two coaches in NBA history to record 1,000 wins with one club (the Utah Jazz).
• Sloan led the Evansville Purple Aces to two consecutive Division II national titles as a player.
• He was suspended seven games in 2003 for pushing referee Courtney Kirkland.