Scott Layden is a former basketball player and coach who has had a successful career in the sport. He began his career as a player, playing for St. Francis College in Brooklyn, New York. After college, he played professionally in Europe for several years before returning to the United States to begin his coaching career.
Layden began his coaching career as an assistant coach for the Utah Jazz in the late 1980s. He quickly rose through the ranks and was named the team's head coach in 1991. He led the Jazz to the playoffs in each of his three seasons as head coach, but was fired after the team failed to advance past the first round of the playoffs in 1994.
After leaving the Jazz, Layden worked as a scout for the New York Knicks before being named the team's general manager in 1999. He was responsible for building the team that made it to the NBA Finals in 1999, but was criticized for some of his later moves, including the signing of Allan Houston to a massive contract.
Layden left the Knicks in 2003 and worked as a scout for the San Antonio Spurs before being named the general manager of the Utah Jazz in 2016. He was responsible for building the team that made it to the Western Conference Finals in 2017, but was fired after the team failed to make the playoffs in 2019.
Throughout his career, Layden has been known for his ability to evaluate talent and build successful teams. He has also been praised for his work ethic and attention to detail. Despite some of the criticism he has faced, Layden is widely respected in the basketball world and is considered one of the top executives in the sport.
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