SALT LAKE CITY — Frank Layden, the sharp-witted former coach who led the Utah Jazz to the playoffs for the first time, has died. He was 93.
“Frank Layden made a lasting impact on the Jazz, the state of Utah, and the NBA,” the Jazz said in a statement Wednesday. “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. Rest easy, Coach.”
Known for his humor and sideline antics, Layden coached the Jazz from 1981 to 1989 and had 277 wins, third most in franchise history. He is the only coach in Jazz history to be named NBA Coach of the Year, earning the honor in 1984, when he also was honored as Executive of the Year.
Born in Brooklyn, New York, in 1932, Layden began his coaching career in the high school ranks before moving on to coach at his alma mater, Niagara University. He made the jump to the NBA in 1976 on Hubie Brown’s staff with the Atlanta Hawks and became the New Orleans Jazz’s general manager in 1979.
Layden took over as coach after Tom Nissalke was fired midway through the 1981-82 season and led the franchise to its first playoff appearance in his second season. Layden stepped away from coaching early in the 1988-89 season and was replaced by future Hall of Famer Jerry Sloan.
Layden stayed on as the team’s president and general manager, part of a staff that selected Hall of Famers John Stockton and Karl Malone. He spent one season as coach of the WNBA’s Utah Starzz in 1998-99.
“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 remained in the Salt Lake City area after leaving coaching and earned the Chuck Daly Lifetime Achievement Award in 2019.
