Weeks in the making, Arizona's hiring of Jason Terry as its newest assistant coach was allowed to become public on Thursday. The program announced the former UA and NBA star as a new staff addition ending weeks of speculation about the move. It will be the first college coaching job for Terry, who spent 19 seasons in the NBA with several teams including the Dallas Mavericks for eight seasons.
Terry had been serving as an assistant general manager for the Mavericks' G-League affiliate Texas Legends and coach of a girls travel ball club in the Dallas area. The transition to the college game is not one current UA head coach Sean Miller believes will be difficult for the one-time All-American guard and National Champion.
"Jason’s accomplishments as a player and champion are iconic in our sport, with so many of his incredible moments on the court taking place here at the University of Arizona," Miller said in a statement through the program. "His basketball journey is one that so many players dream of, but he was able to make it a reality.
“Jason’s knowledge of the game along with his charisma and competitive spirit are qualities that will make him an exceptional coach. He will impact and energize our current players as well as our recruiting efforts in a major way. We look forward to having back on our sideline in the McKale Center.”
Terry's various experiences at all levels of basketball is something that has Miller excited to add the former high school, college and NBA champion to his program.
"He's been there and done it a thousand times over yet I think he would love, I know he would love, to be in the gym with our players," Miller said in a video interview posted online by the program. "Imagine him working out with our guards? I think the other part of it is our program is not bipartisan. It's not those that played here for coach Olson or before I ever showed up and it won't be when future players come and I'm not no longer here – whenever that day is.
"If you're a Wildcat and you played in this basketball program and you played at McKale Center and you played in the Pac-10 Conference or the Pac-12 Conference, you have goosebumps when you think about this basketball program, Tucson, Arizona, what this community meant to you. I want to bring as many of those types of players back to be a part of our future as I can."
UA is a program that has gone through plenty of changes after each season and this year is no exception with the Wildcats bringing in several new players after losing numerous pieces after the season. Some players will have to make sacrifices and that adjustment can be difficult. Terry's willingness to sacrifice and play a key role as a reserve on a national championship team is something Miller will continue to point to when it comes to his newest assistant coach.
"He's the epitome of unselfishness when you look at his college career at Arizona where during our National Championship season in 1997 he was a big reason why Arizona and we won the National Championship but yet he didn't start, " Miller said. "... Patience, hard work and unselfishness. These are the characteristics that you think about.
Getting to Arizona and getting out to the NBA has been a theme among several top players that have come through UA, but not every player who has left school early has succeeded at the next level. Miller now has someone on his bench who can tell players exactly what to expect if they have aspirations of playing the game beyond their time in Tucson.
"With JT, to be able to bring him here it helps us," Miller said. "I also know it'll help him. I know our community and our fans will be excited, but as much as I want to do it just for our fans and community – and believe me I think about that – what I really think about is his impact in recruiting, coaching and helping today's young athletes because when they start talking about making the jump from college basketball to and leaving the U of A and becoming a part of the NBA ... I'm just gonna point over and say, 'you need to talk to him.'
"What hasn't he seen and what can't he tell them from an experience perspective that they're gonna need to know that they're not gonna be able to get from his knowledge? So, I'm thrilled to add him ... and I know that him and his wife and family are thrilled to come back to Tucson."
The Wildcats are expected to begin bringing players in for summer workouts in July at which time Terry can start the next phase of his career, but he will begin immediately recruiting for the program as part of his duties as UA's new assistant coach.
