“It’s a Day of Grief” NBA Mourns the Death of Utah Jazz Legend Jerry Sloan

One of the greatest and most respected coaches in NBA history, Jerry Sloan has passed away at the age of 78. The Hall of Famer died due to Parkinson’s disease and Lewy body dementia. Jerry was diagnosed with the condition back in 2015 and since then required constant 24-hour care.

Sloan spent most part of his playing career at Chicago Bulls. Even though he was more prominent as a coach in the coming years, his time as a player saw few achievements. His No. 4 jersey was retired by Chicago Bulls in 1978 which became the first retired jersey in the franchise’s history.

In 1985, Sloan became the assistant coach for Utah Jazz and three years later was promoted to the head coach position. He led the team to six division titles.

Under his guidance, Jazz went on to the finals twice, both times losing to Jordan’s Bulls. Players like John Stockton and Karl Malone had the opportunity to be coached by him.

Utah Jazz released a statement post the death of one of the greatest NBA coaches, Jerry Sloan

Utah Jazz released an official statement after the loss of the best coach in their history. “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,” the statement read.

“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 of his coaching career at Utah Jazz. Also, he finished his career with the third-most wins in the NBA history as a coach. Moreover, he is the only NBA coach to record 1000 wins with a single franchise.

He was also a 2009 inductee in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. One of the most incredible coaches but unfortunately, could never make it to the title. The NBA fraternity will remember him for years to come.

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