advertisement

Tributes pour in for Sloan, the "Original Bull"

What they're saying about Jerry Sloan:

"Jerry Sloan was 'The Original Bull' whose tenacious defense and nightly hustle on the court represented the franchise and epitomized the city of Chicago."

-Bulls chairman Jerry Reinsdorf

"Jerry Sloan was among the NBA's most respected and admired legends. His more than 40 years in the NBA also paralleled a period of tremendous growth in the league, a time when we benefited greatly from his humility, kindness, dignity and class."

-NBA Commissioner Adam Silver

"I loved everything about Jerry Sloan, from the way he played to the way he coached. He was a tenacious competitor who represented the Bulls of the 70s so well. Jerry became one of my favorite coaches when he was on the 1996 Dream Team staff and it was an honor to learn from him. Jerry came from the old school and his throwback style of play translated perfectly into the 90s. He was always full of fire."

-Scottie Pippen

"I know things didn't end well between us in Utah, however I'm glad that I got the chance to sit down with him before it was too late. Definitely something that would have haunted me for the rest of my life. Blessed that I got to play for him and learn so much from him during my 5½ years in Utah. You knew he always had your back when you stepped out on that court."

-Deron Williams

"As ferocious as he was on the court and sidelines, off the court he was thoughtful and kind. My years in Utah were special not just because of my teammates or Larry Miller (our owner), but in large part to coach Sloan making it a family first environment!!!"

-Carlos Boozer

"They (Sloan and Norn Van Lier) were knocking Pete Maravich around. Knocking him down. If a foul was called, they'd say, 'Why don't you put a dress on him?' Then I met him in the locker room after the game. I introduced myself, and he couldn't have been nicer."

-Jazz executive David Fredman on watching Sloan's Bulls play the New Orleans Jazz in 1974.

"He's one of us. If he were here right now, he'd be the worst-dressed person here - in bib overalls and an old hat. He was dirt-poor growing up and even though he's been successful, put us on the map, he never has changed."

-Mark Scott, former McLeansboro High School athletic director

"Coach Sloan is what the NBA should be about. Committed to your teammates, your coaches, your organization and the game of basketball. He's never asked for credit. In fact, he avoids it. His record speaks for itself, and he's created an environment for his teams to win - and they do. I'm fortunate to have played for him."

-John Stockton

"At the end of the day, he could look back and nobody gave him anything. He earned everything he got."

-Karl Malone

"He was a no-nonsense coach. If your shoes weren't tied, if your drawstring was hanging out of your shorts, if your shirt wasn't tucked in, if you weren't doing a drill right, he'd call you on it. He'd call everyone on it. He was yelling at Karl and John in their 19th years. And there was no back-talking. Everyone knew that Jerry had the authority and you didn't challenge it."

-former Jazz forward Matt Harpring

"It's a sad day for all of us who knew Jerry Sloan. He was genuine and true. That is rare. He was a mentor for me from afar until I got to know him. A man who suffered no fools, he possessed a humor, often disguised, and had a heart as big as the prairie."

-Spurs coach Gregg Popovich

"Jerry will go down in history as one of the most admired great winners and teachers of basketball ever."

-Heat president Pat Riley

Article Comments
Guidelines: Keep it civil and on topic; no profanity, vulgarity, slurs or personal attacks. People who harass others or joke about tragedies will be blocked. If a comment violates these standards or our terms of service, click the "flag" link in the lower-right corner of the comment box. To find our more, read our FAQ.