The NBA and the basketball world was saddened today to learn of the passing of one of the true legends of the game, Jerry Sloan. He was 78. The cause of death was complications from Parkinson’s disease. We take a moment in honoring Jerry Sloan’s legacy as one of the pillars of pro basketball. Many today may not realize that Sloan was an excellent basketball player in his own right. His life was meaningful to many.
A Humble Beginning
In the beginning, life was not easy for Jerry Sloan. His father passed away when Sloan was only four years old. Growing up in Southern Illinois, Sloan’s role when he was in the second grade was to work and help out the family as one of 10 children. As he managed his chores and his desire for basketball he would get up at 4:30 in the morning. Then he would head to McLeansboro High for practice each day. He eventually played his college ball at Division II Evansville College.
From the beginning, intensity defined Jerry Sloan as a basketball player. His attitude entering every game was that it might be his last. No one outworked him on a court. While playing for Evansville, he was a huge part of the school winning consecutive Division II championships. He earned MVP honors in the tournament in both 1964 and 1965. His play didn’t go unnoticed as he would go on to be the number four overall pick by Baltimore in the 1965 draft. He was traded to the Chicago Bulls after one season.
The Original Bull
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Sloan went to the Bulls in their inaugural season and he helped lead the team to the playoffs. They are, to this day, the only NBA team to qualify for the playoffs in their first season. He was also a central part of the first and only division title before the Michael Jordan era in 1975. Sloan retired because of injuries in 1976. He played in 755 career games, averaging 14 points and 7.4 rebounds per game. It was his defensive play and grit that were his calling cards. The Bulls retired his jersey number in 1978, becoming the first to be so honored by the franchise.
THE Utah Jazz Head Coach
After retiring, Sloan became a scout for the Bulls and eventually their head coach. He held that position for less than three years. If that was the total of his coaching career, we wouldn’t be remembering him today. Of course, he was hired as the Utah Jazz head coach in December 1988. From there, it was a journey that would lead to the Basketball Hall of Fame. He coached the team until he stepped down on February 7, 2011.
The numbers that Sloan put up are truly astounding. His Utah teams won more than 50 games seven times and over 60 games three times in the 1990s. The Jazz reached the NBA finals twice, losing both times to the Jordan led Bulls, his former team. He has the fourth-most career coaching wins, with 1,221. He has the sixth-best winning percentage all-time of any coach with a minimum of 500 career victories. His 98 career playoff wins as a coach are sixth-most. This review is only a part of the Jerry Sloan legacy.
It has been a pleasure having you join me with this look back at the extraordinary life and legacy of Jerry Sloan. Please feel free to comment. Follow me on twitter @kevin62wilsea, and make sure to turn to Belly Up Sports and Belly Up Fantasy Sports and Picks for all the latest sports news!
