Last Friday, the National Basketball Association lost a proud member of its family when Utah Jazz Owner Larry Miller H. passed away due to type 2 diabetes. He was 64 years old.
Miller passed away with his family around him at their home in Salt Lake City at 3:54 p.m.
Back in June of 2008, according to ESPN.com, Miller suffered a heart attack and he was in the hospital for two months because of complications from diabetes. He was in a wheelchair when he was released from the hospital, but his medical problems did continue which lead his legs being amputated six inches below the knee this past January.
“He did everything he could to stay here, but it wasn’t meant to be, but he went peacefully,” Gail Miller, Larry’s widow told the media on Friday. “We had a wonderful week together. He came home from the hospital to pass and was with him all week. We reminisced and I don’t think there are many widows that can go to an archive and be comforted by what they see like I will be able to do.”
The last memory that Gail gave to her husband was last Thursday night when she told him that his team defeated the defending NBA champion Boston Celtics 90-85.
“It is with great sadness that I offer condolences to Gail and the Miller family on behalf of the entire NBA family,” said NBA Commissioner David Stern in a statement on Friday. “Larry’s legacy extends beyond the NBA as he touched many lives in the Salt Lake City region through his business ventures and charitable endeavors. The NBA lost a great leader, colleague and friend today. We will miss him.”
As self-made business man and entrepreneur, Miller amassed more than 80 businesses and properties in Salt Lake City. Those businesses include Larry H. Miller Toyota, KJZZ-TV, Larry H. Miller Megaplex, Prestige Financial, Miller Motorsports Park and Jordan Commons cinema/restaurant complexes.
When Miller bought the Utah Jazz for $66 million in 1985 as a co-owner and becoming soul owner a year later, he helped mold the small town team that first began in New Orleans, LA with the very odd named and turned it into one of the most model franchises in professional sports.
Under his guidance, the Utah Jazz made 19 consecutive playoff appearances, won seven division titles (1989, 992, 1997, 1998, 2000, 2007, 2008) and made the NBA Finals in 1997 and 1998 where they lost both times to Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls in six games.
What allowed Miller to consistently put together a team that was successful for so long is that he had three building blocks that would represent the foundation of the Jazz from that day to the present. In point guard John Stockton, he had a floor general that played all 19 of his seasons with the Jazz and finished as the NBA’s all-time leader in assists and steals. His running mate power forward Karl Malone, that he found quite a number of times, finished his 19-year NBA career, 18 of those in Utah as the second leading scorer in NBA history, trailing only Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. He won two NBA Most Valuable Player Awards in 1997 and 1999.
Besides the incredible number Malone and Stockton put up, in 2,968 games played in that time span, they missed a combine total of 30 games in that span due to injury or in Malone’s case a few times because of suspension.
In Jerry Sloan, who was the only head coach of Utah under Miller’s watch, All he did was become one of five head coaches in NBA history to reach 1,000 career wins, which he achieved on Dec. 11, 2006 when the Jazz defeated the Dallas Mavericks 101-79. He also became the first head coach in NBA history to record 1,000 wins with one team when Utah won versus the Oklahoma City Thunder 104-97. It all adds up including the playoffs, 1,114 victories.
This past Saturday in tribute to their owner, each of the players wore a patch with the initials LHM on their jerseys in honor of Miller. The courtside seat that he always sat in at Energy Solutions Arena was empty with a rose upon it.
There was a sign in the arena that a fan held up during the game in reference to Miller that said, “We knew this guy. We loved this guy. We’ll miss this guy.”
After the Jazz defeated the New Orleans Hornets 102-88, point guard Deron Williams presented the game ball to Gail.
Miller leaves behind his wife of 43 years Gail. Their five children: Gregory Scott, Roger Lawrence, Stephen Frank, Bryan Joseph and Karen Rebecca as well as 20 grandchildren.
“I hope my death goes as smoothly and beautifully as his did,” Greg, CEO of the Jazz. “He died at home in his bed, overlooking the city that he loved, surrounded by the people that he loved and he gave it his all before he gave up the ghost.”
Information and quotations are courtesy of NBA TV, GMC NBA Countdown on ABC, ESPN.com and en.wikipedia.com.
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