Frank Layden

Frank Layden

1984 Coach & Executive of the Year | Utah Jazz Legend | 2019 Chuck Daly Lifetime Achievement Award Recipient

After the Jazz franchise moved from New Orleans in 1979, the Jazz faced abysmal records and dwindling attendance. Frank Layden, initially serving as General Manager, took over as head coach in 1981 and transformed a struggling expansion team into a perennial Western Conference powerhouse.

Layden’s coaching philosophy was rooted in high-post fundamentals and selfless team play, but his greatest contribution was his eye for talent. He was the primary architect of the “Stockton-to-Malone” era, famously drafting John Stockton in 1984 and Karl Malone in 1985. Under his guidance, the Jazz reached the playoffs for the first time in 1984, an achievement that earned him both NBA Coach of the Year and Executive of the Year.

Known for his sharp wit and larger-than-life personality, Layden was a beloved figure who used humor to deflect pressure from his players. He coached 571 games for the Jazz, winning 277 of them, before stepping down mid-season in 1988 to hand the reins to his assistant, Jerry Sloan. His legacy remains cemented in the rafters of the Delta Center, where the Jazz retired a jersey with the number 1 in his honor. In 2019, he was the recipient of the Chuck Daly Lifetime Achievement Award.

Coach Layden passed away on July 9, 2025.

  • Overall Coaching Record: 300-402
    • College: 19-97
    • NBA: 277-294
    • WNBA: 4-11

Frank Layden started his professional basketball coaching career with his alma matter the Nigeria University in New York. Prior to coaching the Purple Eagles basketball team, he was the head baseball coach for the school with a record of 15–15–1 from 1953-1955. Layden was also the head basketball coach at Seton Hall High School in Patchogue, New York in 1960.

In 8 seasons with the school, he compiled a 19-97 record over eight seasons, including two NIT appearances in 1972 and 1976, along with the school’s first trip to the NCAA Division I men’s basketball tournament (1970).

Notable Players Coached

  • Calvin Murphy
    • 1979 NBA All-Star
    • 1971 NBA All-Rookie First Team
    • No. 23 retired by Houston Rockets
  • Andy Walker (111th overall pick in the 1976 NBA Draft)

Coach Layden became an assistant coach for the Atlanta Hawks under Hubie Brown. In his first season as an assistant, The Hawks finished with a 31-51 record, missing the playoffs. The following season, the Hawks finished with a 41–41 record, qualifying for the playoffs, but were eliminated by Dick Motta and the Washington Bullets in 2 games.

In 1979, the Hawks finished with a 46-36 record, but were eliminated in the conference semifinals in 7 games by the Washington Bullets.

Notable Players Coached

  • Lou Hudson
    • 6× NBA All-Star (1969–1974)
    • 1970 All-NBA Second Team
    • 1967 NBA All-Rookie First Team
    • No. 23 retired by Atlanta Hawks
  • John Drew
    • 2× NBA All-Star (1976, 1980)
    • 1975 NBA All-Rookie First Team
  • Geoff Petrie
    • 2× NBA All-Star (1971, 1974)
    • 1971 NBA Rookie of the Year
    • 1971 NBA All-Rookie First Team
    • No. 45 retired by Portland Trail Blazers
  • Armond Hill (Future NBA coach & 2008 champion as an assistant)

Coach Layden succeeded Tom Nissalke as the head coach of the Utah Jazz after an 8-12 start. Layden also served as the General Manager of the team. The Jazz finished their season with a 25–57 record, missing the playoffs. The following season in 1983, the Jazz finished with a 30–52 record, missing the playoffs.

In 1984, Layden won both the Coach of the Year and Executive of the Year award. Iin 1985, the Jazz were eliminated in the conference semifinals by John MacLeod and the Phoenix Suns in 6 games. The following season, The Jazz finished with a 41-41 record and reached the conference semifinals again but were eliminated in 5 games by Doug Moe and the Denver Nuggets.

After a few seasons of early first round eliminations and a tough 7 game series against Pat Riley and the Los Angeles Lakers in the 1988 conference semifinals, Layden resigned after a 11-6 start in the beginning of the 1988-1989 season. He would be succeeded by his assistant coach Jerry Sloan, who lasted in the role until his retirement in 2011.

Notable Players Coached

  • John Stockton
    • 10× NBA All-Star (1989–1997, 2000)
    • NBA All-Star Game co-MVP (1993)
    • 2× All-NBA First Team (1994, 1995)
    • 6× All-NBA Second Team (1988–1990, 1992, 1993, 1996)
    • 3x All-NBA Third Team (1991, 1997, 1999)
    • 5× NBA All-Defensive Second Team (1989, 1991, 1992, 1995, 1997)
    • 9× NBA assists leader (1988–1996)
    • 2× NBA steals leader (1989, 1992)
    • 50th & 75th NBA anniversary team selections
    • No. 12 retired by Utah Jazz
  • Karl Malone
    • 2× NBA Most Valuable Player (1997, 1999)
    • 14× NBA All-Star (1988–1998, 2000–2002)
    • 2× NBA All-Star Game MVP (1989, 1993[a])
    • 11× All-NBA First Team (1989–1999)
    • 2× All-NBA Second Team (1988, 2000)
    • 2001 All-NBA Third Team
    • 3× NBA All-Defensive First Team (1997–1999)
    • 1988 NBA All-Defensive Second Team
    • 1986 NBA All-Rookie First Team
    • 50th & 75th NBA anniversary team selections
    • No. 32 retired by Utah Jazz
  • Adrian Dantley
    • 6× NBA All-Star (1980–1982, 1984–1986)
    • 2× All-NBA Second Team (1981, 1984)
    • 1984 NBA Comeback Player of the Year
    • 1977 NBA Rookie of the Year
    • 1977 NBA All-Rookie Team
    • 2× NBA scoring champion (1981, 1984)
    • No. 4 retired by Utah Jazz
  • Mark Eaton
    • 1989 NBA All-Star
    • 2× NBA Defensive Player of the Year (1985, 1989)
    • 3× NBA All-Defensive First Team (1985, 1986, 1989)
    • 2× NBA All-Defensive Second Team (1987, 1988)
    • 4× NBA blocks leader (1984, 1985, 1987, 1988)
    • No. 53 retired by Utah Jazz
  • Darrell Griffith
    • 1981 NBA Rookie of the Year
    • 1981 NBA All-Rookie First Team
    • No. 35 retired by Utah Jazz
  • Rickey Greene
    • 1984 NBA All-Star
    • 1984 NBA steals leader
  • Thurl Bailey (1984 NBA All-Rookie First Team)

After 10 years since his retirement from coaching in 1988, Coach Layden returned to the sidelines to become the head coach of the Utah Starzz of the Women’s National Basketball Association, replacing Denise Taylor after a 6-13 start to the season.

The team won 2 of its 11 games after Layden took over. The following season, he resigned after 4 games. He was replaced by assistant and former USC Trojans women’s basketball coach Fred Williams.

Notable Players Coached

  • Margo Dydek
    • 2× WNBA All-Star (2003, 2006)
    • 8× WNBA blocks leader (1998–2003, 2006, 2007)
    • WNBA all-time blocks leader
  • Natalie Williams
    • 4× WNBA All-Star (1999–2001, 2003)
    • 3× All-WNBA First Team (1999–2001)
    • 2000 WNBA rebounding champion
  • Elena Baranova
    • 2001 WNBA All-Star
    • 1997 WNBA blocks leader
  • Debbie Black
    • 2001 WNBA Defensive Player of the Year
    • 2001 WNBA steals champion
  • Wendy Palmer
    • 2000 WNBA All-Star
    • 1997 All-WNBA Second Team
    • 2004 WNBA Most Improved Player
  • Adrienne Goodson (2002 WNBA All-Star)
  • Olympia Scott (2× WNBA champion (2005, 2007)