Gerald Eugene "Jerry" Sloan is an American former National Basketball Association player and head coach, and a member of the Basketball Hall of Fame. NBA commissioner David Stern called Sloan "one of the greatest and most respected coaches in NBA history." Sloan had a career regular-season win?loss record of 1,221?803, placing him third all-time in NBA wins at the time he retired. Sloan was only the fifth coach in NBA history to reach 1,000 victories and is the only coach in NBA history to record 1,000 wins with one club. He also coached for one team longer than anyone in NBA history. The 2009?10 season was his 22nd season as coach of the Jazz. Sloan coached the Jazz to 15 consecutive playoff appearances from 1989?2003. Although he never won a Coach of the Year award, he is one of only four coaches in NBA history with 15-plus consecutive seasons with a winning record. He led Utah to the NBA Finals in 1997 and 1998, but lost to the Chicago Bulls both times. After Tom Kelly stepped down as manager of the Minnesota Twins in Major League Baseball in 2001, Sloan became the longest-tenured head coach in American major league sports with their current franchise. 

March 28th, 1942 in McLeansboro  /  Died:   May 22nd, 2020