Jerry Sloan Head Coach Era
The Original Bull who became a Jazz legend
Jerry Sloan became head coach of the Utah Jazz in December 1988 and served until his resignation mid-season in 2011. Under his leadership, the Jazz made 15 consecutive playoff appearances from 1989 to 2003. He led the team to the NBA Finals in 1997 and 1998, losing both times to the Chicago Bulls in six games.
Quick Facts
- Years active
- 1979–2011
- All-time wins record
- Most wins by any coach in Utah Jazz history
- Playoff appearances
- 18 consecutive seasons (1984–2001)
- Nba finals appearances
- 2 (1997, 1998)
- Signature style
- Defense-first, physical play
- Key players developed
- John Stockton and Karl Malone
Lore & Background
Sloan is one of only two coaches in NBA history to record 1,000 wins with one club (the Utah Jazz). He was the fifth coach to reach 1,000 NBA victories. After Tom Kelly stepped down as manager of the Minnesota Twins in 2001, Sloan became the longest-tenured head coach in American major league sports with their current franchise. He returned to the Jazz in 2013 as an adviser and scouting consultant.
Reader's Guide
Sloan was known for his fiery demeanor as a coach, mirroring his tenacity as a player. He was suspended one game for pushing referee Bob Delaney in April 1993, and later served a seven-game suspension in 2003 for pushing referee Courtney Kirkland in Sacramento. He did not wear a baseball cap and sunglasses on the sideline; that was a habit of Frank Layden.
Did You Know?
- Sloan was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2009.
- He coached the Jazz to six division championships and 10 seasons with greater than 50 wins.
- Sloan collected his 1,000th career win against the Dallas Mavericks on December 11, 2006.
- He became the first coach in NBA history with 1,000 wins for one team on November 7, 2008.
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