Jason Terry to interview for Jazz head coaching job

Former Arizona Wildcats guard and assistant coach Jason Terry has been open about his goal of one day becoming an NBA head coach.

Terry, now the head coach for Denver Nuggets G-League affiliate Grand Rapids Gold, may soon get that opportunity.

The Utah Jazz have received permission to interview Terry for their head coaching job, according to The Athletic’s Shams Charania. Terry is also under consideration for assistant positions with other NBA teams, reports Charania.

Terry coached the Gold to a 17-15 record in his rookie coaching season. He was credited for sending multiple players up to the NBA, including Nik Stauskas to the Eastern Conference champion Boston Celtics.

After one year at Arizona as an assistant under Sean Miller and a year coaching a G-League team, Terry feels he’s ready to take on coaching an NBA franchise (or a college basketball program).

“I definitely am equipped to be the head coach of an NBA franchise, a Division I college program, at this particular time because of my experience, my ability to connect with the players, and then my ability to motivate, mentor and teach at the highest level,” Terry told Zach Gelb of CBS Sports radio.

A former First-Team All-American at Arizona and an NCAA and NBA champion, Terry reached the pinnacle of basketball success as a player. While there’s no guarantee his playing days will translate to a successful coaching career, NBA front offices have embraced hiring former players as head coaches (Dallas’ Jason Kidd and Brooklyn’s Steve Nash competed alongside Terry in the 2000s.)

If the Jazz were to hire Terry, he would become the third former Arizona player to elevate to an NBA head coach, joining Golden State’s Steve Kerr and former Los Angeles Lakers and Sacramento Kings coach Luke Walton.