Utah Jazz owner Ryan Smith and new Jazz head coach Will Hardy get ready to take photos
Utah Jazz owner Ryan Smith and new Jazz head coach Will Hardy get ready to take photos at the end of a press conference at Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City on Tuesday, July 5, 2022. Kristin Murphy, Deseret News
Sarah Todd
By Sarah Todd
Sarah Todd covers the NBA and Utah Jazz for the Deseret News.

The Utah Jazz formally introduced Will Hardy as the team’s new head coach on Tuesday.

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In a press conference held at Vivint Arena, Hardy was joined by Jazz CEO of basketball Danny Ainge and owner Ryan Smith as they fielded questions from local reporters. Here are some of the highlights from those interviews:

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New Utah Jazz head coach Will Hardy signs autographs after a Summer League game against the Oklahoma City Thunder at Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City on Tuesday, July 5, 2022. | Spenser Heaps, Deseret News
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New Utah Jazz head coach Will Hardy, flanked by Jazz owner Ryan Smith, left, and Jazz CEO Danny Ainge, right, speaks during a press conference held to introduce him at Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City on Tuesday, July 5, 2022. | Kristin Murphy, Deseret News
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Utah Jazz CEO Danny Ainge, left, Jazz general manager Justin Zanik, new Jazz head coach Will Hardy and Jazz owner Ryan Smith pose for a photo at a press conference to introduce the Hardy at Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City on Tuesday, July 5, 2022. | Kristin Murphy, Deseret News
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A “Welcome Coach Hardy” sign is pictured in Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City on Tuesday, July 5, 2022. Will Hardy is the Utah Jazz's new head coach. | Kristin Murphy, Deseret News
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New Utah Jazz head coach Will Hardy speaks to members of the media during a press conference held to introduce him at Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City on Tuesday, July 5, 2022. | Kristin Murphy, Deseret News
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Utah Jazz owner Ryan Smith speaks during a press conference to introduce new Jazz head coach Will Hardy, center, at Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City on Tuesday, July 5, 2022. | Kristin Murphy, Deseret News
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Utah Jazz owner Ryan Smith, left, and new Jazz head coach Will Hardy, center, listen to Utah Jazz CEO Danny Ainge speak during a press conference to introduce Hardy at Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City on Tuesday, July 5, 2022. | Kristin Murphy, Deseret News
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New Utah Jazz head coach Will Hardy, right, hugs Utah Jazz president Jim Olson at the Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City on Tuesday, July 5, 2022. | Kristin Murphy, Deseret News
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Jazz owner Ryan Smith, left, listens as new Utah Jazz head coach Will Hardy speaks during a press conference held to introduce him at Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City on Tuesday, July 5, 2022, alongside Jazz owner Ryan Smith, left. | Kristin Murphy, Deseret News
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Utah Jazz owner Ryan Smith and new Jazz head coach Will Hardy get ready to take photos at the end of a press conference at Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City on Tuesday, July 5, 2022. | Kristin Murphy, Deseret News
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New Utah Jazz head coach Will Hardy speaks during a press conference held to introduce him at Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City on Tuesday, July 5, 2022. | Kristin Murphy, Deseret News
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New Utah Jazz head coach Will Hardy watches the Jazz play the Oklahoma City Thunder during a Summer League game at Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City on Tuesday, July 5, 2022. | Spenser Heaps, Deseret News
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Utah Jazz general manager Justin Zanik and new head coach Will Hardy sit together during a Summer League game between the Utah Jazz and the Oklahoma City Thunder at Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City on Tuesday, July 5, 2022. | Spenser Heaps, Deseret News
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New Utah Jazz head coach Will Hardy leaves the court after a Summer League game against the Oklahoma City Thunder at Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City on Tuesday, July 5, 2022. | Spenser Heaps, Deseret News
  • The Jazz interviewed an extensive list of candidates for the position, but Hardy immediately stood out for Ainge and the rest of the front office.
  • Hardy’s coaching philosophy can generally be summed up in three words — toughness, sacrifice, passion. “I would like for everybody to recognize that this is bigger than them individually,” Hardy said. “Everybody’s gonna have to get out of their comfort zone a little bit as they move forward.”
  • The front office was honest with Hardy throughout the interview process about the different paths the Jazz could take moving forward and how that could mean that he could be coaching a contending team or a team that is facing a rebuild. Hardy wanted to position no matter the roster or what the future might be.
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  • Hardy will spend the next few weeks building his coaching staff, which will include outside hires but also could include some of the assistant coaches that are already on staff with the Jazz. “There’s a lot of great coaches in the NBA, and some of those coaches are already here,” Hardy said. “So, I’m taking this time to get to know them.”
  • The Salt Lake City Summer League kicks off Thursday evening and then the Las Vegas Summer League runs July 7 through July 17, and Hardy will be attending both for the duration, using them as an opportunity to get to know coaches and players more.
  • The Jazz front office, namely Ainge and general manager Justin Zanik have been open and communicative with Hardy about roster decisions, and they have made him a part of the decision-making conversations. But, Hardy said he has full trust in Ainge and Zanik’s ability to construct the roster without his input.
  • Hardy has been in contact with the Jazz’s current players and said that everyone has been receptive and excited to get to work with him.
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