SALT LAKE CITY — Frank Layden, the sharp-witted former coach who led the Utah Jazz to the playoffs for the first time, has died. He was 93.
“Frank Layden made a lasting impact on the Jazz, the state of Utah, and the NBA,” the Jazz said in a statement Wednesday. “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.”
Known for his humor and sideline antics, Layden coached the Jazz from 1981-89 and had 277 wins, third-most in franchise history. He’s the only coach in Jazz history to be named NBA coach of the year, earning the honor in 1984, when he also was honored as executive of the year.
Born in Brooklyn in 1932, Layden began his coaching career in the high school ranks before moving on to coach at his alma mater, Niagara University. He made the jump to the NBA in 1976 on Hubie Brown’s staff with the Atlanta Hawks and became the New Orleans Jazz’s general manager in 1979.
Layden took over as coach after Tom Nissalke was fired midway through the 1981-82 season and led the franchise to its first playoff appearance in his second season.
Layden stepped away from coaching early in the 1988-89 season and, remaining in the front office, appointed future Hall of Famer Jerry Sloan to take over as coach.
Layden stayed on as the team’s president and general manager, part of a staff that selected Hall of Famers John Stockton and Karl Malone. He spent one season as coach of the WNBA’s Utah Starzz in 1998-99.
“It’s hard to imagine the story of the Utah Jazz without the presence of Frank Layden,” Jazz owners Ryan and Ashley Smith said. “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 remained in the Salt Lake City area after leaving coaching and earned the Chuck Daly Lifetime Achievement Award in 2019.
“Immediately, he became one of the league’s foremost figures thanks to his boisterous and frequently humorous approach on the sidelines,” wrote Andy Larsen for The Salt Lake Tribune. “Over the course of his tenure, Layden pushed the Jazz from one of the NBA’s worst teams to one of its best.”
The Miller family, who formerly owned the Jazz led by Larry and Gail Miller, issued a statement Wednesday night:
“We are sad to hear the news of Frank Layden’s passing. Frank was not only a foundational part of the Utah Jazz, he was a pillar in our community. We will continue to celebrate his passion and energy that helped build the Jazz into a contending team, and his endearing sense of humor,” the statement reads. “Frank’s love of sports was contagious. He could often be found spending a night at the ballpark with the Salt Lake Bees, leading us in song during the 7th inning stretch. He was a dear friend and remarkable partner. We share our love with Barbara, Scott and the extended Layden family.”
Layden occasionally spent summer nights at Ogden Raptors games and, like he did in Salt Lake, would lead the crowd at Lindquist Field during the seventh-inning stretch.
“What an amazing human being,” wrote Ben Bagley, former SLC radio producer and current producer at BYUtv, on social media site X. “Never once did I talk to Frank that I didn’t leave feeling better about life. He is that person that lifted all around him.”
“There will be much written and said about Frank Layden in the coming days, and all of it’s deserved,” wrote Larry H. Miller Company CEO Steve Starks on X. “His contribution to the community went well beyond sports. I once heard him say that patriotism includes ‘going to check on your neighbors’ and that has always stuck with me.”
“Very sad to hear about Frank Layden, but what a life. At 93 he was still razor sharp — on top of everything, knew everyone, made me snort laugh multiple times, and in general was just a force for good in his time,” posted Ringer video producer J. Kyle Mann. “Was one of the real treats of this gig to get to meet him.”
“One of the great privileges I have had by being a part of the Utah Jazz for over the past 30+ years has been getting to know Frank Layden. The stories are endless,” said current Jazz radio play-by-place voice David Locke. “The man was as authentic and genuine as you can find. He was a gift to humanity.
“I hope JazzNation remembers him as a man that helped save the Jazz with humor and grace before Larry’s (Miller) financial wizardry gave the franchise the solid base it stands on today,” wrote current Jazz TV play-by-play voice Craig Bolerjack. “A beautiful human being!”
“There is a Mount Rushmore of people responsible for keeping the struggling Jazz in Utah in the mid-1980s: Larry Miller, Frank Layden, John Stockton and Karl Malone,” posted former Salt Lake Tribune reporter Steve Luhm. “An entire generation of Utah Jazz fans owe Frank Layden a huge debt of gratitude.”
Copyright © 2025 Ogden Newspapers of Utah, LLC | www.heraldextra.com | 1200 Towne Centre Blvd. STE 1058, Provo, UT 84601
