Legendary NBA Coach Jerry Sloan Dies At 78

Jerry Sloan, legendary Hall of Fame NBA head coach, has passed away after a long battle with Parkinson’s disease and dementia.

Sloan coached Utah Jazz from 1988 to 2011 and was the Chicago Bulls’ head coach from 1979 to 1982.

The Utah Jazz released a statement confirmin his passing,

“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 seasons with Utah.