Jerry Sloan, the coach who took the Utah Jazz to the NBA Finals in 1997 and 1998 on his way to a spot in the Basketball Hall of Fame, died Friday. He was 78.
See a gallery of photos of the longtime Jazz coach at the end of this story
The Jazz said he died from complications related to Parkinson's disease and Lewy body dementia.
Sloan spent 23 seasons coaching the Jazz. The team — with John Stockton and Karl Malone leading the way in many of those seasons — finished below .500 in only one of those years. Sloan won 1,221 games in his career, the fourth-highest total in NBA history.
Utah went to the finals twice under Sloan, both times falling to Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls.
Sloan entered the Hall of Fame in 2009.
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He spent 34 years in the employ of the Jazz organization, either as head coach, assistant, scout or senior basketball adviser. Sloan started as a scout, was promoted as an assistant under Frank Layden in 1984 and became the sixth coach in franchise history on Dec. 9, 1988, after Layden resigned.
"Like Stockton and Malone as players, Jerry Sloan epitomized the organization," he Jazz said in a statement. "He will be greatly missed."
Photos: Remembering Jerry Sloan
Photos from the career of the former player and coach:
Photos: Remembering Jerry Sloan, 1942-2020
Jerry Sloan, 1968
New York Knicks' Dick Barnett (12) and Chicago Bulls' Jerry Sloan (4) go after a rebound during third period of game at Madison Square Garden in New York City, Oct. 16, 1968. In the background is referee Earl Strom. Bulls won, 100-96. (AP Photo/Dave Pickoff)
Jerry Sloan, 1998
Utah Jazz coach Jerry Sloan speaks to the media during a news conference after his team's Western Conference finals playoff game against the Los Angeles Lakers? Sunday, May 24, 1998 in Inglewood, California. The Jazz beat the Lakers, 94-92, and advanced to the NBA Finals. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Jerry Sloan, 2000
Utah Jazz coach Jerry Sloan, second from right, and John Stockton jump in to keep Utah's Greg Ostertag, right, from Portland Trail Blazers Rasheed Wallace, left, after Ostertag got into a fight with Trail Blazers' Steve Smith during the fourth quarter of their NBA game in Portland, Ore., Sunday, Feb., 27, 2000. (AP Photo/Greg Wahl-Stephens)
Jerry Sloan, 2003
Utah Jazz coach Jerry Sloan reacts to an official's call during the first half against the San Antonio Spurs Monday, April 14, 2003, in Salt Lake City. (AP Photo/Steve C. Wilson)
Jerry Sloan, 2006
Utah Jazz Head Coach Jerry Sloan talks to the media before heading into the locker room where his team cleaned out their lockers for off season, Thursday April 20, 2006, in Salt Lake City. (AP Photo/Steve C. Wilson)
Jerry Sloan, 2007
Utah Jazz coach Jerry Sloan directs his team during the first quarter of an NBA basketball game against Chicago Bulls in Chicago, Saturday, Jan. 20, 2007.(AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)
Jerry Sloan, 2007
Utah Jazz head coach Jerry Sloan answers questions after practice Thursday, May 17, 2007, in Salt Lake City. The team is waiting for the outcome of the San Antonio Spurs-Phoenix Suns series to see who they will play for the NBA basketball Western Conference Championship. (AP Photo/Douglas C. Pizac)
Jerry Sloan, 2007
Utah Jazz coach Jerry Sloan gives instructions to forward Andrei Kirilenko of Russia in the first half against the San Antonio Spurs in Game 5 of the NBA Western Conference Final basketball game in San Antonio, Wednesday, May 30, 2007. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
Jerry Sloan, 2007
Utah Jazz head coach Jerry Sloan talks to the media Thursday, May 31, 2007, in Salt Lake City. The Jazz lost to the San Antonio Spurs in their NBA Western Conference championship game Wednesday night and were eliminated from the playoffs. (AP Photo/Douglas C. Pizac)
Jerry Sloan, 2008
Utah Jazz head coach Jerry Sloan watches his players during practice before Game 4 of the NBA basketball playoff series Friday, April 25, 2008, in Salt Lake City. (AP Photo/Douglas C. Pizac)
Jerry Sloan, 2008
Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant (24) greets Utah Jazz head coach Jerry Sloan after Game 6 of the NBA basketball Western Conference semifinal series Friday, May 16, 2008, in Salt Lake City. The Lakers beat the Jazz 108-105. (AP Photo/Douglas C. Pizac)
Jerry Sloan, 2009
The 2009 Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame class, right to left, Rutgers University women's basketball head coach C. Vivian Stringer, former Utah Jazz guard John Stockton, Utah Jazz head coach Jerry Sloan, former San Antonio Spurs center David Robinson and former Chicago Bulls and Washington Wizards guard Michael Jordan, pose for a picture during a media availability before their enshrinement in the Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Mass., Friday morning, Sept. 11, 2009. John Doleva, president and CEO of the Naismith Basketball of Fame stands at left. (AP Photo/Stephan Savoia)
Jerry Sloan, 2009
Former Utah Jazz guard John Stockton, right, and Former Utah Jazz head coach Jerry Sloan sit next to each other during a media availability before their enshrinement in the Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Mass., Friday morning, Sept. 11, 2009. (AP Photo/Stephan Savoia)
Jerry Sloan, 2010
Utah Jazz head basketball coach Jerry Sloan is shown during the second half of their NBA basketball game against the Portland Trail Blazers in Portland, Ore., Sunday, Feb. 21, 2010. (AP Photo/Don Ryan)
Jerry Sloan, 2010
Utah Jazz head coach Jerry Sloan looks on from the bench during an NBA basketball game in Salt Lake City, Monday, Nov. 29, 2010. (AP Photo/Colin E Braley)
Jerry Sloan, 2011
Utah Jazz Jerry Sloan announces his resignation during an NBA basketball news conference in Salt Lake City, Utah, Thursday, Feb. 10, 2011. Sloan stepped down Thursday after 23 seasons and 1,127 wins as head coach of the Jazz. Longtime assistant Phil Johnson, who also was in his 23rd season with the Jazz, also resigned. (AP Photo/Jim Urquhart)
Jerry Sloan, 2014
Former Jazz coach Jerry Sloan raises his banner during a banner ceremony honoring Jerry Sloan at the EnergySolutions Arena Friday, Jan. 31, 2014, in Salt Lake City. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)
Jerry Sloan, 2016
Former NBA coach Jerry Sloan speaks after being awarded the NBA Coaches Association 2016 Chuck Daly Lifetime Achievement award before Game 3 of basketball's NBA Finals between the Cleveland Cavaliers and Golden State Warriors in Cleveland, Wednesday, June 8, 2016. (AP Photo/Tony Dejak)
Jerry Sloan, 2017
Former Utah Jazz coach Jerry Sloan, center, poses for a photograph with his team from 1997, following media interviews at the NBA basketball team's practice facility Wednesday, March 22, 2017, in Salt Lake City. The Jazz team that reached the 1997 NBA Finals was scheduled to attend a 20-year reunion celebration during halftime between the New York Knicks and the Jazz later Wednesday. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)
Jerry Sloan, 2017
Former Utah Jazz head coach Jerry Sloan, speaks at a news conference before a 20-year reunion ceremony for Utah Jazz team that reached the 1997 NBA Finals, before the start of their NBA basketball game against the New York Knicks Wednesday, March 22, 2017, in Salt Lake City. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)
Jerry Sloan, 2017
Utah Jazz owner Gail Miller and former coach Jerry Sloan pose for a photograph during a 20-year reunion ceremony for the basketball team that reached the 1997 NBA Finals, at halftime of the Jazz's game against the New York Knicks on Wednesday, March 22, 2017, in Salt Lake City. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer, Pool)
