Utah Jazz Officially Introduce Will Hardy As Head Coach

SALT LAKE CITY – The Utah Jazz officially introduced Will Hardy as the next head coach of the Beehive State’s NBA franchise.

Hardy was introduced at Vivint Arena on Tuesday, July 5.

The new head coach was introduced alongside Jazz owner Ryan Smith and CEO Danny Ainge.

“It’s an amazing opportunity and not one that I take lightly,” Hardy began his comments. “I look forward to our partnership.”

“It was a resounding success that we found Will through this process,” Ainge said of Hardy.

Hardy told sports.ksl.com’s Ben Anderson that his first step is to build relationships with Jazz players and the team’s staff. He emphasized moving out to Utah quickly to jumpstart that process.

Will Hardy says his first step is building personal capital with the @utahjazz players.

He wanted to get to Utah quickly to begin that process.#takenote

— KSL Sports (@kslsports) July 5, 2022

The new coach was asked about how he intends to build his coaching staff and what that process looks like. “There’s a lot of great coaches around the NBA and a bunch of those coaches are already here,” Hardy said.

Will Hardy on building his @utahjazz staff:

"There's a lot of great coaches around the NBA and a bunch of those coaches are already here."

Sounds like there will be some familiar faces on the bench. #takenote | @kslsports

— Ben Anderson (@BensHoops) July 5, 2022

Hardy said that he’s already spoken with a bunch of players on the Jazz roster and brought up his prior relationship with the team’s star player. “I’ve spoken to a lot of guys who are on the roster currently,” Hardy said. He mentioned Donovan Mitchell and working with the Jazz guard during the 2019 FIBA World Cup.

At 34 years old, Hardy is the youngest head coach in the NBA. He was asked about his age during the presser and what advantages/challenges it would bring to the job. “I am 34, and I am fine with that,” Hardy responded.

Members of the the new @utahjazz staff. #TakeNote | @KSLSports pic.twitter.com/PhsIi9USJ8

— KSL Sports (@kslsports) July 5, 2022

Utah Jazz hire Will Hardy

The Jazz first announced Hardy’s hiring on June 29.

The announcement came 24 days after Quin Snyder resigned his position as the Jazz head coach after eight seasons with the team. Snyder went 372-264 during his time with the Jazz and led the team to three Western Conference Semifinals appearances.

The Jazz coaching search commenced immediately following Snyder’s resignation and Hardy was one of the first candidates mentioned for the opening.

Hardy was reportedly hired over a group of finalists for the job that included fellow Celtics assistant Joe Mazzulla, Toronto Raptors assistant Adrian Griffin, and current Jazz assistant Alex Jensen, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.

“Will Hardy is one of the brightest young leaders in the NBA,” Jazz CEO Danny Ainge said in a statement. “He understands the importance of setting a vision and creating a culture for players. He places great value on communication, player development and creating the most productive environment for players to succeed. His experience on coaching staffs that have made the NBA Finals and with USA Basketball are invaluable and have helped prepare him for this moment. We couldn’t be more excited for Will to lead the Jazz moving forward.”

The terms of the deal were not released by the Jazz, though ESPN reported that Hardy had signed a five-year deal with the team.

“The Utah Jazz are one of the most respected and successful franchises in the NBA and the fan base here is legendary,” Hardy said in a release. “This opportunity comes with tremendous responsibility. I’m grateful for the trust the Jazz have placed in me and I look forward to the work ahead.”

When he takes the floor for the @utahjazz, Will Hardy will be the youngest head coach in the NBA. #TakeNote https://t.co/P7enLyPyQ8

— KSL Sports (@kslsports) June 28, 2022

The new Jazzman began his coaching career with the San Antonio Spurs as a video assistant under the tutelage of soon-to-be Philadelphia 76ers head coach Brett Brown.

From the Spurs video room, Hardy was promoted to Gregg Popovich’s bench. After overseeing the team’s summer league rosters, Hardy followed former Spurs assistant Ime Udoka to the Boston Celtics in the summer of 2021 as the team’s lead assistant.

He was a standout player at Williams College between 2006-10, leading the Ephs to a 30-2 record as a senior, and the Division-III title game. Hardy and his wife Spencer have two daughters.