RIP Jerry Sloan

Multiple outlets reporting his death. 23 years coaching the Jazz. I remember him just as much as a hard-nosed Chicago Bulls player.

 

Hard to believe he coached that team three times longer than Frank Layden, whom I still associate as "Jazz coach"

 

I feel like Sloan never quite got his due. Somehow never won Coach of the Year (while guys like Scottie Brooks, Byron Scott and Sam Mitchell have) and was never mentioned with the best of the best coaches in NBA history. But 23 years and 18 consecutive playoffs berths with one franchise says a lot.

 

Had 3 60-win seasons and couldn't get the award.

Of course we live in a world where Phil Jackson and Jerry Sloan combined to win one COY Award and Cotton Fitzsimmons, Bill Fitch and Gene Shue each won twice

 

Still remember how Sloan and Norm Van Lier were a thorn in the side of the Warriors throughout the 1974-75 West finals. RIP.

 

Sloan/Stockton/Malone should've won a few titles. They were so fucking good.

 

I remember Jerry Sloan as a player. That was one tough dude. Not surprising that he was a success as a coach. RIP, Coach Sloan.

 

IIRC, post-NBA playing career Sloan accepted the head coaching position at his alma mater, Evansville, only to change his mind. During what would have been Sloan's first season, Evansville's plane went down.

 

'We lost a titan today': Frank Layden remembers his loyal, lifelong friend — The Athletic

 

The Bulls beat the Pistons in 7 that year
Sloan, Van Lier, Chet Walker, Butterbean Love and Tom Boerwinkle for the Bulls
Dave Bing, Bob Lanier, Stu Lantz, Curtis Rowe and Don Adams for the Pistons