Francis Patrick Layden (January 5, 1932 – July 9, 2025) was an American basketball head coach and executive for the Utah Jazz of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He was named both the NBA Coach of the Year and NBA Executive of the Year in 1984. Layden was also head coach of the Utah Starzz of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA).
Early life
Layden grew up in
Brooklyn and was an All-City basketball and baseball player at Fort Hamilton High School.
He played three seasons of varsity basketball and baseball at Niagara University.
Coaching career
Early career
Layden was the head baseball coach at his alma mater, Niagara University, from 1953 to 1955, and compiled a record of 15–15–1.
He also spent one season as freshman basketball coach.
In 1957, he was hired to teach social studies and coach junior varsity football, baseball, and basketball coach at St. Agnes High School in Rockville Centre, New York.
In 1960, he became head basketball coach at Seton Hall High School in Patchogue, New York.
In 1966, he became athletic director at
Dowling College.
Niagara (1968–1976)
In 1968, Layden was named varsity basketball coach at Niagara.
He complied a 119-97 record over eight seasons, including two NIT appearances (1972 and 1976) and the school's first trip to the NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament (1970). His Niagara players included
Calvin Murphy, Marshall Wingate, and Andy Walker.
Atlanta Hawks (1976–1979)
In 1976, Layden was hired to be an assistant coach with the NBA's
Atlanta Hawks joining former Niagara teammate
Hubie Brown.
He also served as the team's director of player personnel.
Utah Jazz (1981–1988)
In 1979, Layden was hired to be the general manager of the then New Orleans Jazz.
In December 1981, he replaced
Tom Nissalke as head coach after the team got off to a 8–12 start.
Layden was responsible for drafting and developing franchise mainstays Darrell Griffith, Mark Eaton, John Stockton, and Karl Malone, and trading for Adrian Dantley. The Jazz made the playoffs every season from 1984 to 1988.
In 1986, Layden was given the title of vice president of basketball operations and continued to make player personnel decisions.
Utah Starzz (1998–1999)
In 1998, Layden returned to coaching with the
Utah Starzz of the Women's National Basketball Association, replacing
Denise Taylor after a 6-13 start.
The team won 2 of its 11 games after Layden took over. He returned for the 1999 season, but resigned after four games. He was replaced by assistant and former USC Trojans women's basketball coach Fred Williams.
Retirement and death
Layden continued to live with his wife, Barbara, in Salt Lake City, where he died on July 9, 2025, at the age of 93.
Head coaching record
NBA
|-
| style="text-align:left;"|Utah
| style="text-align:left;"|
| 62 || 17 || 45 || || style="text-align:center;"|6th in Midwest || – || – || – || –
| style="text-align:center;"|Missed Playoffs
|-
| style="text-align:left;"|Utah
| style="text-align:left;"|
| 82 || 30 || 52 || || style="text-align:center;"|5th in Midwest || – || – || – || –
| style="text-align:center;"|Missed Playoffs
|-
| style="text-align:left;"|Utah
| style="text-align:left;"|
| 82 || 45 || 37 || || style="text-align:center;"|1st in Midwest || 11 || 5 || 6 ||
| style="text-align:center;"|Lost in Conf. Semifinals
|-
| style="text-align:left;"|Utah
| style="text-align:left;"|
| 82 || 41 || 41 || || style="text-align:center;"|4th in Midwest || 10 || 4 || 6 ||
| style="text-align:center;"|Lost in Conf. Semifinals
|-
| style="text-align:left;"|Utah
| style="text-align:left;"|
| 82 || 42 || 40 || || style="text-align:center;"|4th in Midwest || 4 || 1 || 3 ||
| style="text-align:center;"|Lost in First round
|-
| style="text-align:left;"|Utah
| style="text-align:left;"|
| 82 || 44 || 38 || || style="text-align:center;"|2nd in Midwest || 5 || 2 || 3 ||
| style="text-align:center;"|Lost in First round
|-
| style="text-align:left;"|Utah
| style="text-align:left;"|
| 82 ||
47 || 35 || || style="text-align:center;"|3rd in Midwest || 11 || 6 || 5 ||
| style="text-align:center;"|Lost in Conf. Semifinals
|-
| style="text-align:left;"|Utah
| style="text-align:left;"|
| 17 || 11 || 6 || || style="text-align:center;"|(resigned) || – || – || – || –
| style="text-align:center;"|–
|- class="sortbottom"
| style="text-align:left;"|
Career
| || 571 || 277 || 294 || || || 41 || 18 || 23 ||
WNBA
|-
| style="text-align:left;"|Utah
| style="text-align:left;"|
| 11 || 2 || 9 || || style="text-align:center;"|5th in West || – || – || – || –
| style="text-align:center;"|Missed Playoffs
|-
| style="text-align:left;"|Utah
| style="text-align:left;"|
| 4 || 2 || 2 || || style="text-align:center;"|(resigned) || – || – || – || –
| style="text-align:center;"|–
|- class="sortbottom"
| style="text-align:left;"|
Career
| || 15 || 4 || 11 || || || || || ||
External links
