Frank Layden, the first coach to take the Utah Jazz to the NBA playoffs in 1984, died Wednesday, according to multiple reports from Salt Lake City outlets. He was 93.
Layden coached the Jazz from 1982 to '89, and served as the team's general manager from 1980 to '87. Helping the team establish an identity in the wake of its relocation from New Orleans, he was named both the NBA's Coach and Executive of the Year in 1984.
Born in New York, Layden started out in the college ranks, leading Niagara for eight years and making the NCAA tournament in 1970. Taking the reins in Utah for the '80 season—the team's first in the Beehive State—the amiable, self-deprecating boss helped the team go from a 24-58 doormat to a squad that qualified for 20 consecutive postseasons.
Under Layden's leadership, the Jazz drafted forward Karl Malone and guard John Stockton in back-to-back years. The two would combine to make 24 All-Star teams and 25 All-NBA teams, becoming worldwide faces of Utah sports.
Layden also briefly coached the WNBA's Utah Starzz from 1998 to '99. His son Scott served as the general manager of three NBA teams, including the Jazz from 1990 to '99.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Frank Layden, First Coach to Take Jazz to Playoffs, Dies at 93.
