The game lost a true legend on Saturday with former Utah Jazz Head Coach and former Chicago Bulls great Jerry Sloan passed away. A Naismith Hall of Famer, Sloan is probably most recognized for his 23 years as head coach of the Utah Jazz. What is remarkable about his coaching career is that he had only one losing season in Utah. He was a pretty good player, too. A graduate of University of Evansville where he won two Division 2 national championships as a player, Sloan played almost all of his eleven-year playing career with the Bulls. In addition to this information here is how I will remember Sloan:
- Coincidentally, I am currently reading We Will Rise, a book about the University of Evansville Basketball team place crash in 1977. The crash tragically killed all 29 people on board. What many basketball fans may not know is that Jerry Sloan could have been on that plane. Sloan accepted the head coaching job at his alma mater prior to that basketball season. He later resigned from the position just five days in, citing “personal reasons.”
- His Son Brian Sloan – I grew up an Indiana University basketball fan. Brian Sloan played for Bob Knight at Indiana and Knight said in his biography that Brian was the greatest screener he has ever coached .
- I know Sloan was good “basketball friends” with the late, great Rick Majerus. I was once listening to Majerus at a basketball clinic and Majerus referenced many conversations with “Sloan,” as only Majerus could say in his thick, Wisconsin accent. I’m sure Majerus and Sloan are back to “talking ball” (as Majerus would say).
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