Hall of Fame Coach Jerry Sloan Reveals Battle With Parkinson’s

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In an interview Wednesday with The Salt Lake Tribune, former Utah Jazz coach Jerry Sloan revealed he has Parkinson’s disease and Lewy body dementia. First diagnosed last fall, Sloan decided to go public now because he is no longer to hide his symptoms.

Though he didn’t go into specifics, Parkinson’s is a progressive disorder that often manifests itself as a slight tremor early on, which gets worse over time, sometimes in conjunction with stiffness or slowing of movement. Lewy body is associated with an overall decline in memory, problem solving, planning and analytical thinking.

The third winningest coach in NBA history may have a tough road ahead of him, but he made it clear he has no immediate plans of pulling over. “I don’t want people feeling sorry for me,” Sloan said, noting that he still walks four miles a day.