SALT LAKE CITY (ABC 4 Sports) - Former Jazz head coach Jerry Sloan has responded to Karl Malone's claim that Sloan resigned because he was not supported by Jazz management when it came to disciplining Deron Williams last season.
Sloan released a statement through the Jazz saying, "I left on my own volition. It is not true that the Millers undermined my authority as head coach. I had their complete backing to run the team as I wished and was assured that no player could ever overrule my decisions. The Millers encouraged me to stay with the team and gave me multiple opportunities to do so. They felt strongly that I should wait at least until the end of the season to resign and did everything they could to keep me coaching.
"I do not wish to make any further statements regarding this issue. It is time for me and my family to move on and I ask that the media respect my wishes and respect the integrity of the Miller family and all that they have done for the Utah Jazz and this community."
Jazz owner Greg Miller has been critical of Malone after Malone claimed he was not able to receive tickets to a Jazz game last season. Miller wrote a scathing
blog about Malone, calling him "unstable and unreliable."
