Frank Layden

For other people with this last name, see Layden.

Frank Layden
Born	(1932-01-05) January 5, 1932 Brooklyn, New York
Occupation(s)	NCAA collegiate and NBA coach and General Manager
Years active	1956–1988 as coach, 1978–present as Utah Jazz team president and GM
Spouse	Barbara
Children	2 sons Scott and Mike, daughter Katie
Awards	NBA J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award NBA Coach of the Year (1984) NBA Executive of the Year (1984)

Frank Layden (born January 5, 1932) is a retired American basketball coach and executive of the National Basketball Association's Utah Jazz.

Coaching career

In addition to his coaching at the professional level, Layden coached at Adelphi Suffolk College and

is also a former head coach and player of his alma mater Niagara University's basketball team. Layden coached Niagara to its first NCAA tournament appearance in 1970, with the help of Calvin Murphy. In 1976 he was hired to be an assistant coach with the NBA's Atlanta Hawks joining former Niagara teammate Hubie Brown. In 1979 he was hired to be the General Manager of the then New Orleans Jazz, and became the head coach of the Jazz (now in Salt Lake City) in 1981, replacing Tom Nissalke. He coached the Jazz for the next seven and a half years. He was instrumental in drafting and signing franchise mainstays John Stockton and Karl Malone to the club. He retired from coaching during the 1988–1989 season, moving into the team's front office and was replaced as coach by his assistant, Jerry Sloan.

In 1984, Layden was awarded the NBA's Coach of the Year. That same season, he also won the NBA's Executive of the Year and the NBA's J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Awards. (He and Joe O'Toole are the only non-players in NBA history to win the award).

Head coaching record

Legend

Regular season	G	Games coached	W	Games won	L	Games lost	W–L %	Win–loss %
Playoffs	PG	Playoff games	PW	Playoff wins	PL	Playoff losses	PW–L %	Playoff win–loss %

Team	Year	G	W	L	W–L%	Finish	PG	PW	PL	PW–L%	Result
Utah	1981–82	62	17	45	.274	6th in Midwest	–	–	–	–	Missed Playoffs
Utah	1982–83	82	30	52	.366	5th in Midwest	–	–	–	–	Missed Playoffs
Utah	1983–84	82	45	37	.549	1st in Midwest	11	5	6	.455	Lost in Conf. Semifinals
Utah	1984–85	82	41	41	.500	4th in Midwest	10	4	6	.400	Lost in Conf. Semifinals
Utah	1985–86	82	42	40	.573	4th in Midwest	4	1	3	.250	Lost in First round
Utah	1986–87	82	44	38	.537	2nd in Midwest	5	2	3	.400	Lost in First round
Utah	1987–88	82	47	35	.573	3rd in Midwest	11	6	5	.545	Lost in Conf. Semifinals
Utah	1988–89	17	11	6	.780	(resigned)	–	–	–	–	–
Career		571	277	294	.485		41	18	23	.439

Retirement

Layden retired from coaching the Jazz in 1989 to serve full-time as the franchise team president and general manager, hiring former NBA player and then Jazz assistant Jerry Sloan as the new head coach. During this time, Layden participated with Marv Albert in a video published by Sports Illustrated called Dazzling Dunks and Basketball Bloopers, as well as a sequel to that a year later. Layden once served briefly as a consultant for the New York Knicks, where his son Scott Layden served as general manager for a time. He continues to live with his wife, Barbara, in Salt Lake City. Layden was the head coach of the Utah Starzz WNBA team from 1998 through 1999.