Frank Layden, beloved Jazz coach and franchise-changing architect, dies at 93

New York Times

10-07-2025

Frank Layden, who coached the Utah Jazz with a colorful presence in the 1980s and was instrumental in building the team's success in the '90s, died at 93, the Jazz announced Wednesday. No cause of death was shared.
Layden's time with the Jazz began in 1979 as general manager, when the team was in New Orleans. Two years later, with the team relocated to Salt Lake City, he replaced Tom Nissalke as coach midway through the 1981-82 season, when the Jazz went 25-57. By 1984, Layden had them in the playoffs.
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He won the NBA Coach of the Year and the NBA Executive of the Year awards that season for orchestrating the Jazz's 15-win improvement, anchored by All-Star Adrian Dantley and the recently drafted Mark Eaton. Red Auerbach, Pat Riley and Larry Bird are the only others to win both awards in their careers.
But it was shortly after winning his 1984 awards that Layden made the first of his historically key roster moves: drafting John Stockton. With the No. 16 pick in the 1984 draft, the Layden-led front office selected the 6-feet-1 guard who would go on to tally the most assists in NBA history.
The following year, Layden made his second historically key call by drafting Karl Malone. Like Stockton, Layden unearthed a future Hall of Famer with a mid-round pick, nabbing the forward with the No. 13 pick. Malone went on to retire with the second-most points in NBA history after 19 seasons.
Integral in getting the team to Utah,Coach of the Year,Executive of the Year, Giant in the community,And a pivotal figure in Utah sports history.
There was no one like Coach Layden 💜 pic.twitter.com/H1Cn1KHkqu
— Utah Jazz (@utahjazz) July 10, 2025
Layden continued to coach Utah's young core to playoff runs until he promoted assistant Jerry Sloan to replace him as head coach in the in 1988-89 season. Sloan took over the Jazz 17 games into another winning season, as Layden cited burnout as his reason to focus solely on the team's front office.
'Sometimes in the NBA, you feel like a dog. You age seven years in one,' Layden told The Washington Post at the time. 'The pressure in the NBA is intense. It's time to have my time.'
With Sloan, Malone and Stockton leading the on-court success and Layden mentoring from the front office, the Jazz continued their playoff streak until 2003. Their trips to the NBA Finals in 1997 and 1998 highlighted that run.
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Before the NBA, Layden began his coaching career by leading Niagara University, his alma mater, for eight years. He then entered the NBA ranks as an assistant coach on his former Niagara teammate Hubie Brown's staff with the Atlanta Hawks.
After stepping away from the Jazz in the late '90s, Layden briefly coached the WNBA's Utah Starzz (now the Las Vegas Aces) before quitting for the same reason as a decade before with the Jazz, saying he wanted to 'enjoy life.'
Layden enjoyed life as a basketball statesman in Salt Lake City up until his death, appearing at Jazz games and entertaining crowds with his witty storytelling.
The Layden family legacy continues in the NBA via Frank's son, Scott. Scott Layden's career began as a Jazz front office assistant under his father in the '80s and has included stints with the New York Knicks, San Antonio Spurs, Minnesota Timberwolves and Sacramento Kings.
'It was a wonderful time growing up,' Scott told NBA.com in 2012. 'My dad is a great storyteller. He's a great extemporaneous speaker. And he's noted for being a funny guy. He has a Henny Youngman act.'
'My dad was the ultimate coach,' Scott said.