It is not unusual for NBA players to shift gears and become head coaches in the league after the end of their playing career– most notably, Steve Kerr and Ty Lue. These two are former players-turned-coaches who won at least one championship in both their playing and coaching careers. Additionally, Dallas Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd, who won a championship with the team as a player in 2011, led his team to the NBA Finals earlier this year. Now, it seems that one of his former teammates has interest in following a similar career path as Kerr, Lue, and Kidd–Jason Terry.
In a recent interview with Joey Mistretta of ClutchPoints, the 47-year-old revealed he wants to become a head coach in the league someday. Currently, he is an assistant coach for the Utah Jazz and has been since 2022.
“Eventually my career path will lead to being a head coach. So like I said, right now I am just focusing on our guys, developing this young team, getting them to where they need to go. And continue to grow as a coach. Continue to grow as a teacher and as a mentor.”
Former Mavericks Champion Reveals Head Coaching Aspirations
Jason Terry Always Knew He Wanted to Be a Head Coach
Something Terry made clear in his interview with Mistretta is that he always had interest in becoming a head coach in the NBA. Terry said he would coach AAU women’s basketball during the offseasons, starting in 2007. From there, he developed a passion for coaching.
“While I played, since 2007, my offseason was dedicated to coaching young women in the Dallas metroplex. I coached AAU basketball, drive a 15 passenger van all across the country, coaching these young women. That was kind of like my preparation. That was my training ground so to speak. So as I got in my career, I kind of knew what life after basketball was going to be for me. I’m a teacher, I’m a student of the game, I love giving back… I live it, I breathe it every single day. And so I knew my career path after basketball would be in coaching.”
Given his resume, Terry could make an excellent coach in the NBA. He played 19 seasons in the NBA with six different teams. Additionally, he won a championship in Dallas in 2011 and the Sixth Man of the Year award in 2009. Terry also played alongside some of the greatest players in history. This includes Dikeme Mutombo, Dirk Nowitzki, Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, James Harden, and Giannis Antetokounmpo. His experience around the league certainly helps his case as a potential head coach.
The Last Word On Jason Terry
Before becoming an assistant coach for the Jazz, Terry already started building up his coaching resume. From 2020 to 2021, he was an assistant coach for the Arizona Wildcats men’s basketball team. Furthermore, from 2021 to 2022, he was the head coach of the Grand Rapids Gold, the Denver Nuggets‘ G League affiliate. In the G League, he led the team to a 17-15 record.
It is unclear when an opportunity may come up for Terry. However, when one does, the former NBA guard could become a top head coaching candidate in the future.
