Sloan was drafted by the Baltimore Bullets in the 1965 NBA draft, but he chose to play in the American Basketball Association (ABA) instead. He played for the Chicago Bulls and the Evansville Pacers in the ABA before joining the NBA in 1976.
Sloan was a tenacious defender and a hard-nosed player who was known for his toughness and hustle. He was a two-time All-Star and was named to the NBA All-Defensive First Team four times. He was also a two-time All-ABA selection.
Sloan retired from playing in 1976 and began his coaching career with the Bulls. He was the head coach of the Bulls from 1979 to 1982 and then moved on to the Utah Jazz, where he coached from 1988 to 2011. He was the longest-tenured coach in NBA history and led the Jazz to the playoffs in each of his 23 seasons as head coach.
Sloan was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2009 and was named one of the NBA's 50 Greatest Players in 1996. He was also named one of the NBA's 10 Greatest Coaches in 1996.
Sloan was a respected and beloved figure in the NBA and was known for his hard-nosed style of play and coaching. He was a great player and an even better coach, and his legacy will live on for many years to come.
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