Jazz Officially Name Will Hardy Head Coach
Jun 29, 2022, 2:32 PM | Updated: 2:54 pm
Utah Jazz head coach Will Hardy (Photo Credit: Utah Jazz)
(Photo Credit: Utah Jazz)
SALT LAKE CITY – The Utah Jazz have officially named Will Hardy as their next head coach.
On Tuesday both The Athletic’s Shams Charania and ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski broke the news that the Jazz were planning to make Hardy the ninth head coach in franchise history.
The team made the news official Wednesday afternoon.
Welcome to Utah, Coach Hardy 🖤#TakeNote pic.twitter.com/36Aqymve7r
— Utah Jazz (@utahjazz) June 29, 2022
“We could not be more excited to welcome Will Hardy as the next head coach of the Utah Jazz,” Jazz owner Ryan Smith said in a release from the team. “He has incredible experience and we believe in his continued trajectory. Danny and Justin ran a comprehensive process and we are confident Will is the right head coach to lead us into the next chapter of the Utah Jazz. Ashley and I and the entire ownership group are grateful to welcome Will, his wife Spencer, and their family to Utah.”
The announcement comes just 24 days after Quin Snyder resigned his position as the Jazz head coach after spending eight seasons overseeing the team.
Snyder went 372-264 during his time with the Jazz and led the team to three Western Conference Semifinals appearances.
The Jazz coaching search commenced immediately following Snyder’s resignation and Hardy was one of the first candidates mentioned for the opening.
From Will Hardy:
“The @UtahJazz are one of the most respected and successful franchises in the NBA & the fan base here is legendary. This opportunity comes with tremendous responsibility. I’m grateful for the trust the Jazz have placed in me & I look forward to the work ahead.”
— Ben Anderson (@BensHoops) June 29, 2022
Hardy was reportedly hired over a group of finalists for the job that included fellow Celtics assistant Joe Mazzulla, Toronto Raptors assistant Adrian Griffin, and current Jazz assistant Alex Jensen, according to Wojnarowski.
“Will Hardy is one of the brightest young leaders in the NBA,” Jazz CEO Danny Ainge said in the release. “He understands the importance of setting a vision and creating a culture for players. He places great value on communication, player development and creating the most productive environment for players to succeed. His experience on coaching staffs that have made the NBA Finals and with USA Basketball are invaluable and have helped prepare him for this moment. We couldn’t be more excited for Will to lead the Jazz moving forward.”
The terms of the deal were not released by the Jazz, though ESPN reported that Hardy had signed a five-year deal with the team.
“The Utah Jazz are one of the most respected and successful franchises in the NBA and the fan base here is legendary,” Hardy said. “This opportunity comes with tremendous responsibility. I’m grateful for the trust the Jazz have placed in me and I look forward to the work ahead.”
When he takes the floor for the @utahjazz, Will Hardy will be the youngest head coach in the NBA. #TakeNote https://t.co/P7enLyPyQ8
— KSL Sports (@kslsports) June 28, 2022
The new Jazzman began his coaching career with the San Antonio Spurs as a video assistant under the tutelage of soon-to-be Philadelphia 76ers head coach Brett Brown.
From the Spurs video room, Hardy was promoted to Gregg Popovich’s bench. After overseeing the team’s summer league rosters, Hardy followed former Spurs assistant Ime Udoka to the Boston Celtics in the summer of 2021 as the team’s lead assistant.
Hardy, 34, is the youngest head coach in the NBA.
He was a standout player at Williams College between 2006-10, leading the Ephs to a 30-2 record as a senior, and the Division-III title game. Hardy and his wife Spencer have two daughters,
The Salt Lake City Summer League Begins on July 5 at Vivint Arena, and the team will travel to Nevada for the Vegas Summer League on July 7.
