Boston Celtics assistant coach Will Hardy has been named as an initial candidate for the open head coaching position with the Utah Jazz, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic.
Sources: Among initial candidates for Utah’s open head coaching job: Knicks assistant Johnnie Bryant, Jazz assistant Alex Jensen, former Trail Blazers coach Terry Stotts, Celtics assistant Will Hardy and Raptors assistant Adrian Griffin.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 5, 2022
Hardy began his coaching journey with the San Antonio Spurs in 2010 as a basketball operations intern, and by 2013, he was the team’s video coordinator. He would not join the team’s official coaching staff until the 2016-17 season. He spent five years in San Antonio before following Ime Udoka to Boston to be one of his top assistants.
At 34 years old, Hardy is one of the youngest head coaching candidates in the league. Under Udoka this season in Boston, he helped lead the NBA’s top defense and is currently assisting the Celtics through their first Finals appearance since 2010.
Former Jazz head coach Quin Snyder stepped down from his position with the Jazz on June 5, as reported by ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. He’ll be leaving after eight seasons in Utah.
According to Charania other early candidates include New York Knicks assistant Johnnie Bryant, Jazz assistant Alex Jensen, former Portland Trail Blazers coach Terry Stotts, and Toronto Raptors assistant Adrian Griffin.
