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Frank Layden, the Architect of the Utah Jazz, Dies at 93

His death prompted tributes for the coach whose bold draft selections launched two decades of Jazz contention

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Frank Layden
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Overview

  • Layden’s passing on July 9 was confirmed by The Salt Lake Tribune, marking the end of a seven-decade career in professional basketball.
  • As general manager and head coach, he transformed the struggling Jazz into a Midwest Division champion in 1984, earning both NBA Coach of the Year and Executive of the Year honors.
  • He selected future Hall of Famers John Stockton and Karl Malone in back-to-back drafts, establishing the core for a 20-year playoff streak.
  • In 1989, Layden handed the coaching reins to his assistant Jerry Sloan and later led the WNBA’s Utah Starzz before resigning early in the 1999 season.
  • Former players, coaches and community leaders praised his humor, authenticity and enduring impact on Utah’s basketball culture.