On Tuesday morning, Jazz owner Ryan Smith and CEO of basketball Danny Ainge sat down with new head coach Will Hardy at Vivint Arena to introduce Hardy in front of the press and media.
“It’s an exciting day for the state of Utah. I think it’s an incredibly exciting day for this organization and our franchise moving forward,” Smith said.
Both Smith and Ainge expressed their excitement for Hardy to start in his new role. Several candidates were interviewed for the position to replace Quin Snyder. However Hardy stood out, especially to Ainge and the rest of the front office staff.
“It seemed like after the few stages that we went through that Will was our guy,” Ainge said.
Hardy started by thanking the San Antonio Spurs, whom he spent 11 seasons with as an assistant coach prior to his time with the Celtics. He expressed gratitude to the team for helping him become the coach he is.
“My time in San Antonio and Boston really helped formulate for me what’s important to me as a coach,” Hardy said.
Hardy explained his first task was to start building relationships with players and fellow staff as soon as possible. His passion for building relationships mirrors much of what was said about Quin Snyder in his farewell press conference.
Looking Forward
Hardy’s mission for the Jazz is to be “deeply competitive”. They should be able to overcome adversity and have the willingness to get out of their comfort zones and grow.
“As we move into this next chapter here in Utah, I want our team to represent toughness, sacrifice, and passion,” Hardy said. “It’s time to get to work.”
Featured image courtesy of Kristin Murphy, Deseret News