Frank Layden, the first coach to take the Utah Jazz to the playoffs and the winner of both the 1984 NBA Coach of the Year and Executive of the Year awards, died Wednesday at 93, the team announced.
Layden coached six full seasons and parts of two others early in the franchise’s Utah history. He took the helm two years after the team moved from New Orleans, succeeding Tom Nissalke during the 1981-82 campaign. Over nearly the next decade, he won 277 games and guided the Jazz to five consecutive postseason appearances, advancing as deep as the Western Conference semifinals three times.
“It’s hard to imagine the story of the Utah Jazz without the presence of Frank Layden,” Jazz owners Ryan and Ashley Smith said. “He was an amazing person who meant so much to this organization and to our fans. His love of the sport was felt around the NBA, and he set the franchise on a course for success, helping to build an enduring legacy for the state of Utah.”
Layden joined the franchise in 1979 during its New Orleans days as general manager, and he moved into the coaching role while maintaining a position in the front office shortly after its relocation to Utah. While continuing on as general manager and also stepping into the role of team president, Layden resigned as head coach during the 1988-89 season and handed the reins to then-assistant Jerry Sloan, who would coach the Jazz until his own resignation in 2011.
“Frank Layden made a lasting impact on the Jazz, the state of Utah, and the NBA. There will never be another like him. Our thoughts go out to his family as we join in mourning his loss and celebrating his life,” the Jazz said in a statement.
Under Sloan, the Jazz made 20 consecutive playoff appearances, including back-to-back trips to the NBA Finals in 1997 and 1998 when the team lost to Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls in six games. Karl Malone and John Stockton were the pillars of those Jazz teams, and Layden is credited for playing a key role in bringing both Utah legends into the franchise via the draft — Stockton in 1984 and Malone in 1985. Layden coached both of them during their formative years in the NBA and stayed on as Utah’s president and GM until 1999.
“The NBA mourns the passing of Utah Jazz legend Frank Layden, an award-winning head coach and basketball executive,” the NBA said in a statement. “His unique sense of humor and genuine kindness made him a beloved figure around the game, including during his time as a WNBA head coach. We extend our heartfelt sympathies to Frank’s family and the Jazz organization.”
Other coaching stints in Layden’s career included his debut job at Niagara University, his alma mater, where he first patrolled the sidelines in 1968. He moved to the NBA in 1976 as an Atlanta Hawks assistant, and after his time with the Jazz, he coached the WNBA’s Utah Starzz for a season and part of another.
Layden left a legacy as a fan favorite with his sideline demeanor and off-the-court personality. He was an active community member and won the NBA’s Citizenship Award in 1984 and the NBCA’s Lifetime Achievement Award in 2019.
