Who would have thought a rural farm town in Southern Illinois would produce one of the brightest basketball minds the world has ever seen? I grew up in McLeansboro, Illinois, and the first person you learn about is the legend himself, Jerry Sloan. From a young age, you quickly understand the impact Jerry Sloan has on McLeansboro, being one of the town’s best athletes.
Jerry Sloan has lived different careers, transitioning through phases of basketball unlike anyone we have ever seen. He would become an NBA player after dominating College Basketball with the University of Evansville, then would transition into one of the best coaches in NBA history.
The history and legacy of Jerry Sloan will never be forgotten, but some people have never heard about Sloan and his impact on Southern Illinois and Indiana. I will break down each stop in Jerry Sloan’s basketball career and share a story about my hometown’s legend.
The McLeansboro Roots
Jerry Sloan was born in McLeansboro, Illinois, on March 28, 1942. From then on, he would eat, sleep, and breathe basketball. Growing up as one of the best players in his area is no joke, and McLeansboro basketball changed forever. He would have a terrific high school basketball career, scoring over 1,800 points throughout his tenure.
Unlike the rest of McLeansboro’s athletes, Sloan had the opportunity to play basketball at the next level. He would choose to attend at the University of Illinois-Champaign. After a short stint, he would choose to play at a different school, and his legacy is still felt at this school to this day.
Evansville’s Purple Ace Legend
After flip-flopping from schools, Sloan finally settled on Evansville College, which would later be known as the University of Evansville. He would immediately become one of the best players the school has ever had. At the time, Evansville College was Division ll, which they would later become a Division l program. However, Sloan and the Evansville Aces dominated college basketball.
During his four collegiate basketball years, Evansville excelled. With the help of Jerry Sloan, they would win back-to-back National Championships, including an undefeated 29-0 record during Sloan’s senior season. Sloan was a tremendous piece for those championship teams, becoming a three-time All-American during his college basketball career.
Here is a list of Jerry Sloan’s collegiate awards:
- Division II Men’s Basketball Champion (1964, 1965)
- College Division All-America Teams (1963-1965)
- 1965 Chuck Taylor Converse 1st Team All-America; Sporting News 2nd Team
- NCAA Division II Elite Eight All-Tournament Team (1964-1965)
- Division II Tournament Most Outstanding Player (1964-1965)
Jerry had become a legend at Evansville College and is still remembered as one of the best players in the school’s history. His story was far from over, not even scratching the surface of the impact and success he would soon find.
Jerry Sloan: NBA’s “Original Bull”
In 1965, the Baltimore Bullets held the 19th overall pick, making Jerry Sloan an NBA player. However, his Bullets career would be short-lived. A new expansion team was added to the NBA, meaning an expansion draft would take place. The Chicago Bulls would select Jerry Sloan to join their squad.
Sloan would become a great player for Chicago, becoming one of the best defenders in the NBA. After being selected in 1966, he would play the rest of his career in Chicago before he retired in 1976. Here are Sloan’s notable NBA stats and awards:
- 14.0 Points/Game
- 7.5 Rebounds
- 2-time All-Star
- 4-time All-Defense First Team
- 2-time All-Defense Second Team
- First Chicago Bulls player to have his number retired (#4)
Jerry Sloan would become one of the most underrated players in Chicago Bulls history. After retiring, he would become a scout for Chicago in 1977, leading him to an assistant coach role with the team. In 1979, he would become the head coach of the Chicago Bulls until 1982, where he found little success. Following his time with Chicago, he would land with a team that would change his coaching career forever.
The Legend on the Sideline
In 1984, Sloan would have a short stint in the CBA as a head coach for the Evansville Thunder. However, the Utah Jazz were in need of an assistant coach, and Jerry Sloan fit the bill. He would fill the assistant role for the next four years, until 1988, when he earned a promotion to become the head coach of the Utah Jazz.
At the time, 46-year-old Jerry Sloan was ready to be a head coach once again, becoming the best coach in the franchise’s history. He would coach for 23 years, leaving behind a legacy of consistently competing at the highest level. Sloan’s Jazz always competed, even representing the Western Conference in the NBA Finals in 1997 and 1998.
In 2006, Sloan became the fifth coach ever to have 1,000 wins. He would end his coaching career at 1,221 wins, 98 playoff wins, and he became the first coach to win 1,000 games with one franchise. He currently sits fourth all-time in wins, behind great coaches like Gregg Popovich, Don Nelson, and Lenny Wilkens. Sloan also had 13 seasons with 50 or more wins.
Sloan resigned as head coach of the Utah Jazz on February 7, 2011. From 2013 to 2014, he would serve as a scouting consultant/advisor. After this, he would completely remove himself from the NBA.
Jerry Sloan: A Legacy Left Behind
Shortly after retiring from the NBA, Sloan had developed Parkinson’s disease and Lewy body dementia. He would live for the next five years, battling these diseases, but in May of 2020, Sloan passed away at the age of 78.
He is truly one of the greatest basketball icons Southern Illinois and Southern Indiana have ever had. He had a historic high school career, collegiate career, NBA career, and NBA coaching career. Sloan was great at every aspect of basketball.
Back in McLeansboro, the high school basketball gymnasium has been named after him, as well as Sloan helping with the building of their newest high school. The University of Evansville practice gym has been named after him in his honor. His jersey No. 52 hangs in the rafters of the Ford Center.
While still coaching in the NBA, Jerry Sloan was named to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2009, being remembered for his incredible basketball career. He was truly one of basketball’s greats and will continue to be a legend in Southern Illinois and Indiana.
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