Skiles: Jerry Sloan Should Get Lifetime Achievement Award
By Michael Williams (2/20/2007)
It is a known fact that NBA Coach of the Year awards are not given for lifetime achievement. In case they were given then by now Utah’s Jerry Sloan would received one. There are many who are of the opinion that Sloan should have been given the award and this talk is again making an appearance after Utah’s surprising 26-14 start.
One such person who thinks Sloan deserves the award is Scott Skiles, Chicago Bulls’ coach. He believes that a lot of awards are, unfortunately, popularity contests.
Skiles grew up in northwest Indiana as a Chicago Bulls fan. He would occasionally watch the Bulls games on television as he was growing up in the 70s. This team included Jerry Sloan, Norm Van Lier, Chet Walker, Bob Love and Tom Boerwinkle.
Skiles has had high regard for Sloan’s style and it has not changed even though the two have gone from acquaintances to peers.
Skiles said that after being a coach it is not difficult to look around see what other coaches are actually achieving. He was extremely appreciative of the way Sloan handled the team and they way Utah’s defense has improved over the years under Sloan.
On December 11, 2006, Sloan became the 5th coach in NBA history to win 1,000 games. Sloan went for 94-121 in the two seasons when he was the Chicago Bulls coach from 1979 to 1982.
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