Jerry Sloan, the longtime coach of the Utah Jazz, died on Friday morning due to complications from Parkinson’s disease and Lewy body dementia at the age of 78, according to a team release.
The Jazz shared a few words on the passing of Sloan, who had been battling Parkinson's disease for several years:
“Jerry Sloan will always be synonymous with the Utah Jazz. 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.
“Our Hall of Fame coach for 23 years, Jerry had a tremendous impact on the Jazz franchise as expressed by his banner hanging in the arena rafters. His 1,223 Jazz coaching wins, 20 trips to the NBA Playoffs and two NBA Finals appearances are remarkable achievements. His hard-nosed approach only made him more beloved. Even after his retirement, his presence at Jazz games always brought a roaring response from the crowd.
“Like Stockton and Malone as players, Jerry Sloan epitomized the organization. He will be greatly missed. We extend our heartfelt condolences to his wife, Tammy, the entire Sloan family and all who knew and loved him.”
Sloan spent 23 years as coach of the team, taking over the franchise in 1988 and coaching until he resigned in 2011. Sloan was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2009 and he finished his career with the third-most wins in NBA history, amassing a record of 1,221 wins and 803 losses.
He led the Jazz to back-to-back NBA Finals appearances (1997 and 1998), seven division titles, and has the sixth-best winning percentage of all-time (.603).
Sloan was a symbolic of Jazz basketball for the better part of the '90s and early 2000s — a constant sight on the sidelines. He was known for his keen attention to detail, his Xs and Os, and his hard-nosed approach to defense, which he carried from his time as a player with the Chicago Bulls.
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