The Friday Flashback: "The Original Bull"

By Chuck Sudo in News on Feb 11, 2011 8:20PM

Utah Jazz coach Jerry Sloan abruptly resigned yesterday, ending a 26-year relationship with the team, 23 of them as head coach. Sloan's tenure as Jazz head coach was the longest current tenure in professional sports. The native of downstate McLeansboro is the only NBA coach to win 1,000 games with one team. The rest of his wins came during a 94-121 stint as head coach of the Bulls. Sloan's history with the Bulls runs deep. When the Bulls joined the NBA in 1966, Sloan was their first choice in the expansion draft and, with it, the nickname "The Original Bull." Along with coach Johnny "Red" Kerr, Sloan led the Bulls to the playoffs in their inaugural season, posting the best expansion record in league history.

Over the next ten years, Sloan would earn a reputation as a tenacious defender, be named an All-Star twice, All-Defensive first team four times, become the only player in NBA history to average career numbers of 7 rebounds and 2 steals a game, and have his number 4 retired by the Bulls. Sloan is among the all-time Bulls leaders in games played, minutes played, points scored, field goals and field goal attempts, free throws and free throw attempts. Most notably, Sloan, as a guard, ranks fourth all-time in total rebounds.