The National Basketball Coaches Association has chosen former Utah Jazz head coach Frank Layden as the winner of this year's Chuck Daly Lifetime Achievement Award.
National Basketball Coaches’ Association gives its Lifetime Achievement Award this year to former Jazz coach Frank Layden, in a ceremony before Game 2 in Toronto.
— David Aldridge (@davidaldridgedc) June 2, 2019
Layden coached the Jazz for close to eight seasons, beginning in 1981. He was also the team's general manager at that time. In 1984, he won Coach of the Year and Executive of the Year honors, as well as the J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award. He retired from coaching during the 1988-89 season. He put his full attention not only as the team's GM but also its president. He finished with a 277-294 record.
Layden was known for his jokes and one-liners during pre and postgame interviews. However, the Jazz is playing a game, he's usually involved in shouting matches with team officials, which often leads to his ejection. Still, a lot of people had respected him during his time in the NBA. The Lifetime Achievement award was given to Layden during a ceremony before Game 2 of the NBA Finals, and Dallas Mavericks head coach Rick Carlisle was the one that presented it to him.
Layden may not be considered as one of the greatest coaches in the history of the NBA, but he's still loved by the coaching community. His lightheartedness and fun-loving personality are just some of the qualities that made him a likable person. He didn't win a championship during his coaching years, but he's still one of the most important figures in the history of the Jazz franchise.
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