Will Hardy and Jason Terry Join Utah Jazz Coaching Staff
Will Hardy is an American professional basketball coach and former collegiate player who currently serves as the head coach of the Utah Jazz of the National Basketball Association. He is the youngest head coach in the NBA. He has been with the team since 2003. Hardy’s success with the team has made him an inspiration to many players in the league.
Jason Terry is another notable addition to the Jazz’s coaching staff. The former Boston Celtics guard is a former NBA Sixth Man of the Year and is now on the coaching staff of the Jazz. A former assistant coach for the Boston Celtics, Terry played for the team during his playing days. He is expected to leave Boston after the 2020-21 season.
Hardy is the successor to Quin Snyder and trusts in the front office to guide the team in its roster building. When Hardy was hired as head coach of the Jazz, he was surprised at the amount of attention he was receiving on his first day. He spoke at an introductory news conference at Vivint Arena and seemed confused by the attention.
A former NBA player, Terry is a respected coach who has experience coaching teams and winning championships. The Jazz interviewed him last month for the head coaching position. This was the first time the Jazz had interviewed him. The Jazz had already hired Will Hardy, but Terry was also under consideration for the assistant coach position.
Besides Hardy, the Utah Jazz have also added assistant coaches Alex Jensen, Lamar Skeeter, Bryan Bailey, and Irv Roland to their coaching staff. The Jazz also hired Becca Ward as the director of team operations and Anthony Beaumont as the team’s video coordinator.
Hardy is the youngest head coach in the NBA. He is a former player of the San Antonio Spurs and the Atlanta Hawks. He won the Sixth Man Award in 2008-09, the NBA championship in 2011, and the NCAA championship in his sophomore year with Arizona. The Jazz CEO, Danny Ainge, had previously worked with Hardy while he was with the Boston Celtics.
The Jazz will also add former NBA player Jason Terry to their coaching staff. Terry has previously served as the head coach of the NBA’s G League affiliate, Grand Rapids Gold, last season. He spent 19 years playing in the NBA before being named an assistant coach for the Arizona Wildcats. In June 2018, Terry was the assistant coach of the Grand Rapids Gold. His G League team finished 17-15 and missed the playoffs.
The new coaching staff for the Jazz will have their work cut out for them this year. There were reports of a fractured locker among the players last season, which contributed to their lack of success. In addition to that, a number of new players will join the roster this year, which means that the Jazz coaching staff will have to work hard to make everyone on the same page.