Jeff Hornacek and the Art of the Shot: From Execution to Instruction

Jeff Horanacek during his playing career was known for his deep shooting, having shot 40.29 percent from the 3-point line in his entire NBA career, making 828 out of 2055 total threes he shot in 14 seasons as a player. Hornacek also has a career free throw percentage of 87.7.

Fans may have recognized his well-known habit of stroking the side of his face three times before every free-throw attempt, signaling recognition of his three children, Tyler, Ryan and Abigaile.

Hornacek was born in Elmhurst, Illinois, where he attended Lyons Township High School, and played college basketball for the Cyclones men’s basketball team at the University of Iowa State. He was redshirted and a walk-on who played 4 seasons at Iowa State under head coach Johnny Orr. As their starting point guard, he led the Cyclones to the Sweet Sixteen of the 1986 NCAA tournament.

In 1986, he was drafted by the Phoenix Suns in the second round with the 46th overall pick. He first played for John Macleod for his first 56 games until he was fired and replaced by former Phoenix Suns guard and color commentator for the team Dick Vans Arsdale, who had no prior coaching experience, who finished the season with a 14-12 record. After the season, the team promoted assistant coach John Wetzel to head coach, who only lasted one season before Cotton Fitzsimmons returned to the Suns and was hired as their head coach, this changed everything.

In 1992, Hornacek led the Suns in scoring with 20 points per game. Later that season, Hornacek was traded along with Andrew Lang and Tim Perry to the Philadelphia 76ers for Charles Barkley. He played point guard for the team. On February 24, 1993, midway through the 1993–94 season he was traded to the Utah Jazz for Jeff Malone, where returned to his efficient shooting guard position alongside John Stockton.

On November 23, 1994, he set a then-NBA record with eight consecutive three-pointers in a single game against the Seattle SuperSonics. That same season, he also tied an NBA record 11 consecutive three-pointers, from December 30, 1994, through January 11, 1995. One of the best free throw shooters in the league, once making 67 in a row from November 12, 1999 – January 6, 2000.

Hornacek won the NBA three-point competition twice, and, along with Natalie Williams, star of the Utah Starzz, won the All-Star 2-Ball Challenge. He remained with the Jazz until his retirement in 2000. Hornacek started in 910 games out of the total 1,077 he played in.

In 2002, Hornacek’s No. 14 jersey was retired by the Utah Jazz.

Coaching Career

In 2007, Hornacek started his coaching career as a special assistant and shooting coach. In May 2008, he interviewed with the Chicago Bulls for their head coaching vacancy but decided to hold off on taking any full-time coaching roles to prevent excessive travel pressure for his family.

In 2011, Jerry Sloan and longtime Utah Jazz assistant coach Phil Johnson retired from coaching on February 10, 2011. Assistant Coach Tyrone Corbin was promoted to head coach, resulting in Hornacek’s own promotion to assistant coach and front of the bench.

In 2013, The Phoenix Suns hired Jeff Hornacek as their head coach, before he was hired, he was a head coach candidate for the Philadelphia 76ers and Charlotte Bobcats. In his first season, the team finished with a 48–34 record, 9th place in the Western Conference, barley missing the playoffs. The following season, the team finished in 10th place with a 39–43 record.

In December 2015, The Suns dismissed assistant coaches Jerry Sichting and Mike Longabardi in December, 2 defensive coaches, signaling if the defense didn’t improve, more changes would come. They did, on February 1, 2016, Hornacek was fired after a 14-35 start and replaced by assistant coach Earl Watson. Veteran NBA coach and former Spurs head coach Bob Hill joined the staff to fill in Watson’s old vacancy.

At the time of his firing, he had a 101-112 overall record with the Suns.

In June 2016, Hornacek was hired as the New York Knicks head coach, succeeding Derek Fisher, and his second head coaching job. In his first season the Knicks finished with a 31–51 record, 12th place in the Eastern Conference. The following season, the Knicks finished in 11th place in the Eastern Conference, with a 29–53 record.

On April 12, 2018, Hornacek was fired after 2 seasons and a total record of 60-104.

In 2020, Hornacek was named a front of the bench assistant coach for Stephen Silas. The Rockets went to a complete rebuild due to Russell Westbrook being traded to the Wizards for John Wall and Harden requesting a trade, which was eventually granted as he was sent to Brooklyn. The team finished with a 17–55 record, starting Houston’s rebuild.

After 2 seasons in Houston, Coach Hornacek returned to the Utah Jazz where he serves as a coaching consultant for the Utah Jazz since 2022.

Behind the Coaching has a coach profile page for Jeff Hornacek, detailing his coaching philosophy and who he notably coached.