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Former Utah Jazz head coach and general manager Frank Layden has died at the age of 93, the team announced in a statement on Wednesday (July 9).
"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. Rest easy, Coach," the Jazz wrote in a post shared on their X account.
Layden, who was known for his larger than life personality, initially joined the then-New Orleans Jazz as the franchise's general manager before adding head coaching duties in 1981, taking over during the franchise's fourth season in Utah. The New York native won 277 games, which ranks third in franchise history and was responsible for the selections of Basketball Hall of Famers John Stockton and Karl Malone, winning the 1984 NBA Coach of the Year and Executive of the Year Awards.
Layden stepped down as the Jazz's head coach, but stayed on as general manager and team president, working alongside his successor, late Basketball Hall of Famer Jerry Sloan, who had previously served as his assistant before his own 23-year tenure as Utah's head coach, winning 1,127 games with the franchise, the most of any coach in its history.
"It's hard to imagine the story of the Utah Jazz without the presence of Frank Layden," said Jazz owners Ryan and Ashley Smith. "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, who would later coach the WNBA's Utah Starzz -- now the Las Vegas Aces -- from 1998 to 1999, was honored by the NBA with the Chuck Daly Lifetime Achievement Award in 2019.