Jeffrey John Hornacek (; born May 3, 1963) is an American professional
basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular Basketball court, court, compete with the primary objective of #Shooting, shooting a basketball (ball), basketball (appr ...
coach and a former player who is a coaching consultant for the
Utah Jazz
The Utah Jazz are an American professional basketball team based in Salt Lake City. The Jazz compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Western Conference (NBA), Western Conference, Northwest Division (NBA), ...
of the
National Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association (NBA) is a professional basketball league in North America. The league is composed of 30 teams (29 in the United States and 1 in Canada) and is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United S ...
(NBA). He previously was the head coach for both the
Phoenix Suns
The Phoenix Suns are an American professional basketball team based in Phoenix, Arizona. They compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA), as a member of the league's Western Conference Pacific Division. The Suns are the only team in t ...
(2013–2016) and the
New York Knicks
The New York Knickerbockers, shortened and more commonly referred to as the New York Knicks, are an American professional basketball team based in the New York City borough of Manhattan. The Knicks compete in the National Basketball Associat ...
(2016–2018). He was also an assistant coach for the
Houston Rockets
The Houston Rockets are an American professional basketball team based in Houston. The Rockets compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member team of the league's Western Conference Southwest Division. The team plays its ho ...
. He played
shooting guard
The shooting guard (SG), also known as the two, two guard or off guard,Shooting guards are 6'3"–6'7"BBC Sports academy URL last accessed 2006-09-09. is one of the five traditional positions in a regulation basketball game. A shooting guard's m ...
in the NBA from
1986
The year 1986 was designated as the International Year of Peace by the United Nations.
Events January
* January 1
** Aruba gains increased autonomy from the Netherlands by separating from the Netherlands Antilles.
**Spain and Portugal ente ...
through
2000
File:2000 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: Protests against Bush v. Gore after the 2000 United States presidential election; Heads of state meet for the Millennium Summit; The International Space Station in its infant form as seen from ...
and played collegiately at
Iowa State University
Iowa State University of Science and Technology (Iowa State University, Iowa State, or ISU) is a public land-grant research university in Ames, Iowa. Founded in 1858 as the Iowa Agricultural College and Model Farm, Iowa State became one of the n ...
.
Elementary and high school
He attended Komarek Elementary School in
North Riverside, Illinois
North Riverside is a village in Cook County, Illinois, United States. As of the 2020 census, it had a population of 7,426.
Geography
North Riverside is located at (41.846222, -87.829585).
According to the 2021 census gazetteer files, North R ...
, and Gurrie Middle School and
Lyons Township High School
Lyons Township High School (often referred to as LTHS or simply LT) is a public high school located in Western Springs, Illinois (South Campus), and also in La Grange, Illinois (North Campus).
Lyons Township is a co-educational high school and ...
in
La Grange,
Cook County, Illinois
Cook County is the most populous county in the U.S. state of Illinois and the second-most-populous county in the United States, after Los Angeles County, California. More than 40% of all residents of Illinois live within Cook County. As of 20 ...
.
College
Hornacek
redshirted
Redshirt, in United States college athletics, is a delay or suspension of an athlete's participation in order to lengthen their period of eligibility. Typically, a student's athletic eligibility in a given sport is four seasons, aligning with the ...
at
Iowa State University
Iowa State University of Science and Technology (Iowa State University, Iowa State, or ISU) is a public land-grant research university in Ames, Iowa. Founded in 1858 as the Iowa Agricultural College and Model Farm, Iowa State became one of the n ...
(ISU) in 1981; he was a team
walk-on who played from 1982 to 1986.
The son of a high school basketball coach, he became an all-conference player in the
Big Eight Conference
The Big Eight Conference was a National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA)-affiliated Division I-A college athletic association that sponsored football. It was formed in January 1907 as the Missouri Valley Intercollegiate Athletic Associatio ...
, playing for coach
Johnny Orr. As a
point guard
The point guard (PG), also called the one or the point, is one of the five Basketball positions, positions in a regulation basketball game. A point guard has perhaps the most specialized role of any position. Point guards are expected to run t ...
he guided the
Cyclones
In meteorology, a cyclone () is a large air mass that rotates around a strong center of low atmospheric pressure, counterclockwise in the Northern Hemisphere and clockwise in the Southern Hemisphere as viewed from above (opposite to an anti ...
to the Sweet Sixteen of the
1986
The year 1986 was designated as the International Year of Peace by the United Nations.
Events January
* January 1
** Aruba gains increased autonomy from the Netherlands by separating from the Netherlands Antilles.
**Spain and Portugal ente ...
NCAA
The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) is a nonprofit organization that regulates student athletics among about 1,100 schools in the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico. It also organizes the athletic programs of colleges an ...
tournament
A tournament is a competition involving at least three competitors, all participating in a sport or game. More specifically, the term may be used in either of two overlapping senses:
# One or more competitions held at a single venue and concentr ...
. His shining moment came at the
Metrodome
The Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome (commonly called the Metrodome) was a domed sports stadium located in downtown Minneapolis, Minnesota. It opened in 1982 as a replacement for Metropolitan Stadium, the former home of the National Football League' ...
in
Minneapolis
Minneapolis () is the largest city in Minnesota, United States, and the county seat of Hennepin County. The city is abundant in water, with thirteen lakes, wetlands, the Mississippi River, creeks and waterfalls. Minneapolis has its origins ...
when, after first hitting a shot to tie the game and send it to
overtime
Overtime is the amount of time someone works beyond normal working hours. The term is also used for the pay received for this time. Normal hours may be determined in several ways:
*by custom (what is considered healthy or reasonable by society), ...
, Hornacek hit the game winning shot in overtime, a 26-foot jumper at the buzzer, to give ISU its first NCAA tournament victory since
1944
Events
Below, the events of World War II have the "WWII" prefix.
January
* January 2 – WWII:
** Free French General Jean de Lattre de Tassigny is appointed to command French Army B, part of the Sixth United States Army Group in Nor ...
, beating
Miami University
Miami University (informally Miami of Ohio or simply Miami) is a public research university in Oxford, Ohio. The university was founded in 1809, making it the second-oldest university in Ohio (behind Ohio University, founded in 1804) and the 10 ...
, March 14, 1986, 81–79. Two days later, he led the Cyclones to the NCAA Tournament Sweet Sixteen, in a 72–69 upset of second seed
Michigan
Michigan () is a state in the Great Lakes region of the upper Midwestern United States. With a population of nearly 10.12 million and an area of nearly , Michigan is the 10th-largest state by population, the 11th-largest by area, and the ...
. Orr, who had previously left Michigan to coach at Iowa State, called it the greatest victory of his career. Hornacek left ISU with a Big-8 record of 665 career assists and 1,313 career points. He was the fourth player in Cyclone basketball history to have his number retired when his No. 14 jersey was hung from the rafters of
Hilton Coliseum
James H. Hilton Coliseum, commonly Hilton Coliseum, is a 14,267-seat multi-purpose arena located in Ames, Iowa. The arena opened in 1971. It is home to the Iowa State University Cyclones men's and women's basketball teams, wrestling, gymnastics ...
in 1991.
NBA career
Phoenix Suns
He was the 22nd pick in the second round (46th overall) of the
1986 NBA draft, by the
Phoenix Suns
The Phoenix Suns are an American professional basketball team based in Phoenix, Arizona. They compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA), as a member of the league's Western Conference Pacific Division. The Suns are the only team in t ...
. The 2nd round draft pick that was used to select him was traded three times before finally ending up with the Suns. First, the
Los Angeles Lakers
The Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles. The Lakers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Western Conference Pacific Division. The Lakers play their ...
packaged it in the deal to acquire
Byron Scott
Byron Antom Scott (born March 28, 1961) is an American former professional basketball player and head coach in the National Basketball Association (NBA). As a player, Scott won three NBA championships with the Los Angeles Lakers during their S ...
from the
San Diego Clippers
The Los Angeles Clippers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles. The Clippers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Pacific Division in the league's Western Conference. The Clipper ...
before the 1983–84 season. A week later, the Clippers sent the pick to the
Detroit Pistons
The Detroit Pistons are an American professional basketball team based in Detroit. The Pistons compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference Central Division and play their home games at Li ...
in a deal to acquire
Ricky Pierce
Richard Charles Pierce (born August 19, 1959) is an American retired National Basketball Association (NBA) player. Nicknamed "Deuces" and "Big Paper Daddy", he was selected as an NBA All-Star (1991) and was twice the NBA Sixth Man of the Year (19 ...
, and on that same day, the Pistons dealt the pick to the Suns for
David Thirdkill
David Thirdkill (born April 12, 1960) is an American retired basketball player. He played in the NBA, and was the 1993 Israeli Basketball Premier League MVP.
NBA career
He was selected by the Phoenix Suns in the first round (15th overall) of th ...
.
The Suns struggled in Hornacek's first two seasons, but after hiring
Cotton Fitzsimmons
Lowell Gibbs "Cotton" Fitzsimmons (October 7, 1931 – July 24, 2004) was an American college and NBA basketball coach. A native of Bowling Green, Missouri, he attended and played basketball at Hannibal-LaGrange Junior College in Hannibal, Mi ...
as coach and acquiring free agent
Tom Chambers, the Suns went from 28 wins in 1987–88 to 55 in 1988–89. Hornacek was a "third option" on offense after Chambers and
Kevin Johnson. This trio led the Suns to four straight NBA playoff appearances, including two Western Conference Finals. In the
1991–92 season, he led the Suns in scoring average (20.1 points per game) and earned an
All-Star appearance. Hornacek won NBA Player of the Month honors in December 1991.
Philadelphia 76ers
In 1992, Hornacek was traded (along with
Andrew Lang
Andrew Lang (31 March 1844 – 20 July 1912) was a Scottish poet, novelist, literary critic, and contributor to the field of anthropology. He is best known as a collector of folk and fairy tales. The Andrew Lang lectures at the University ...
and
Tim Perry
Timothy D. Perry (born June 4, 1965) is an American former basketball player. Following his college career with Temple he played professionally for 13 seasons in the National Basketball Association and Liga ACB.
Playing career
Perry played colle ...
) to the
Philadelphia 76ers
The Philadelphia 76ers, colloquially known as the Sixers, are an American professional basketball team based in the Philadelphia metropolitan area. The 76ers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eas ...
for
Charles Barkley
Charles Wade Barkley (born February 20, 1963) is an American former professional basketball player who is a television analyst on TNT. Nicknamed "Sir Charles", "Chuck", and "the Round Mound of Rebound", Barkley played 16 seasons in the Natio ...
. With
Hersey Hawkins
Hersey R. Hawkins Jr. (born September 29, 1966) is an American former professional basketball player. After starring at Chicago's Westinghouse High School, the 6'3" (1.90 m) shooting guard attended Bradley University. Hawkins played for 4 teams ...
, the Sixers' leading scorer, in the shooting guard position, Hornacek was assigned point guard responsibilities. Although he had a career high 6.9 assists per game in his only complete season with the Sixers (
1992–93 season), his stint as a point guard was not a success (26 wins, 56 losses). Midway through the
1993–94 season (February 24) he was traded to the
Utah Jazz
The Utah Jazz are an American professional basketball team based in Salt Lake City. The Jazz compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Western Conference (NBA), Western Conference, Northwest Division (NBA), ...
(for
Jeff Malone
Jeffrey Nigel Malone (born June 28, 1961) is an American former professional basketball player. He played college basketball at Mississippi State, and is mostly known for his time with the Washington Bullets (1983–1990) of the National Basketb ...
) where he could return to his natural shooting guard position alongside
John Stockton
John Houston Stockton (born March 26, 1962) is an American former professional basketball player. Regarded as one of the greatest point guards, players and passers of all time, he spent his entire NBA career (1984–2003) with the Utah Jazz, ...
.
Utah Jazz
Like in Phoenix, Hornacek was a complementary "third option" to
Karl Malone
Karl Anthony Malone (born July 24, 1963) is an American former professional basketball player in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Nicknamed "the Mailman", he is considered one of the greatest power forwards in NBA history. Malone spen ...
and Stockton. He was an instrumental part of the Jazz's drive to the NBA Finals in
1997
File:1997 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The movie set of ''Titanic'', the highest-grossing movie in history at the time; ''Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone'', is published; Comet Hale-Bopp passes by Earth and becomes one of t ...
and
1998
1998 was designated as the ''International Year of the Ocean''.
Events January
* January 6 – The '' Lunar Prospector'' spacecraft is launched into orbit around the Moon, and later finds evidence for frozen water, in soil in permanently ...
, where the Jazz lost to the
Chicago Bulls
The Chicago Bulls are an American professional basketball team based in Chicago. The Bulls compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference Central Division. The team was founded on January 1 ...
both times. He remained with the Jazz until knee problems forced his retirement in 2000. It was revealed that he has no left meniscus due to wear and tear on his body, so bad that he could have needed
knee reconstruction
Anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACL reconstruction) is a surgical tissue graft replacement of the anterior cruciate ligament, located in the knee, to restore its function after an injury. The torn ligament can either be removed from ...
because it also is arthritic.
On November 23, 1994, he set a then-NBA record with eight consecutive three-pointers in a single game against the
Seattle SuperSonics
The Seattle SuperSonics (commonly known as the Seattle Sonics) were an American professional basketball team based in Seattle. The SuperSonics competed in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member club of the league's Western Confe ...
. That same season, he also tied an NBA record 11 consecutive three-pointers, from December 30, 1994 through January 11, 1995. One of the best
free throw
In basketball, free throws or foul shots are unopposed attempts to score points by shooting from behind the free-throw line (informally known as the foul line or the charity stripe), a line situated at the end of the Key (basketball), restricted ...
shooters in the league, once making 67 in a row (November 12, 1999 – January 6, 2000), one of his most well-known mannerisms was stroking the side of his face three times before every free-throw attempt. That was his way of saying hello to his three children, Tyler, Ryan and Abigaile, during the game.
["Changing teams: Hornacek will trade NBA for family"]
– CNN/Sports Illustrated. – (CNNSI.com). – Wednesday, April 26, 2000. He holds a career free throw percentage of 87.7, 16th highest in NBA history.
– Basketball-Reference. – Retrieved on August 23, 2007
Hornacek won the NBA three-point competition twice, and along with
Natalie Williams
Natalie Jean Williams (born November 30, 1970) is an American basketball executive and former player in the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). Williams was inducted into the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame in 2016. She was also an acc ...
, star of the
Utah Starzz
Utah ( , ) is a state in the Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. Utah is a landlocked U.S. state bordered to its east by Colorado, to its northeast by Wyoming, to its north by Idaho, to its south by Arizona, and to its we ...
, won the All-Star 2-Ball Challenge.
After the 1999–2000 season, Hornacek retired from basketball to spend more time with his family. Hornacek's No. 14 jersey was retired by the
Utah Jazz
The Utah Jazz are an American professional basketball team based in Salt Lake City. The Jazz compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Western Conference (NBA), Western Conference, Northwest Division (NBA), ...
, for whom he played from 1994 to 2000, and helped get them to the
NBA Finals
The NBA Finals is the annual championship series of the National Basketball Association (NBA). The Eastern and Western Conference champions play a best-of-seven game series to determine the league champion. The team that wins the series is awa ...
in 1997 and 1998. Coach
Jerry Sloan
Gerald Eugene Sloan (March 28, 1942 – May 22, 2020) was an American professional basketball player and coach. He played 11 seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA) before beginning a 30-year coaching career, 23 of which were spent ...
and Jazz announcer
"Hot Rod" Hundley referred to Hornacek affectionately as "Horny".
[Jeff Hornacek]
. – NBA. All in all, Hornacek enjoyed a 14-year NBA playing career including 1,077 career games played.
NBA career statistics
Regular season
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
, style="text-align:left;",
Phoenix
Phoenix most often refers to:
* Phoenix (mythology), a legendary bird from ancient Greek folklore
* Phoenix, Arizona, a city in the United States
Phoenix may also refer to:
Mythology
Greek mythological figures
* Phoenix (son of Amyntor), a ...
, 80 , , 3 , , 19.5 , , .454 , , .279 , , .777 , , 2.3 , , 4.5 , , .9 , , .1 , , 5.3
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
, style="text-align:left;",
Phoenix
Phoenix most often refers to:
* Phoenix (mythology), a legendary bird from ancient Greek folklore
* Phoenix, Arizona, a city in the United States
Phoenix may also refer to:
Mythology
Greek mythological figures
* Phoenix (son of Amyntor), a ...
, 82 , , 49 , , 27.4 , , .506 , , .293 , , .822 , , 3.2 , , 6.6 , , 1.3 , , .1 , , 9.5
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
, style="text-align:left;",
Phoenix
Phoenix most often refers to:
* Phoenix (mythology), a legendary bird from ancient Greek folklore
* Phoenix, Arizona, a city in the United States
Phoenix may also refer to:
Mythology
Greek mythological figures
* Phoenix (son of Amyntor), a ...
, 78 , , 73 , , 31.9 , , .495 , , .333 , , .826 , , 3.4 , , 6.0 , , 1.7 , , .1 , , 13.5
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
, style="text-align:left;",
Phoenix
Phoenix most often refers to:
* Phoenix (mythology), a legendary bird from ancient Greek folklore
* Phoenix, Arizona, a city in the United States
Phoenix may also refer to:
Mythology
Greek mythological figures
* Phoenix (son of Amyntor), a ...
, 67 , , 60 , , 34.0 , , .536 , , .408 , , .856 , , 4.7 , , 5.0 , , 1.7 , , .2 , , 17.6
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
, style="text-align:left;",
Phoenix
Phoenix most often refers to:
* Phoenix (mythology), a legendary bird from ancient Greek folklore
* Phoenix, Arizona, a city in the United States
Phoenix may also refer to:
Mythology
Greek mythological figures
* Phoenix (son of Amyntor), a ...
, 80 , , 77 , , 34.2 , , .518 , , .418 , , .897 , , 4.0 , , 5.1 , , 1.4 , , .2 , , 16.9
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
, style="text-align:left;",
Phoenix
Phoenix most often refers to:
* Phoenix (mythology), a legendary bird from ancient Greek folklore
* Phoenix, Arizona, a city in the United States
Phoenix may also refer to:
Mythology
Greek mythological figures
* Phoenix (son of Amyntor), a ...
, 81 , , 81 , , 38.0 , , .512 , , .439 , , .886 , , 5.0 , , 5.1 , , 2.0 , , .4 , , 20.1
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
, style="text-align:left;",
Philadelphia
Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the sixth-largest city in the U.S., the second-largest city in both the Northeast megalopolis and Mid-Atlantic regions after New York City. Sinc ...
, 79 , , 78 , , 36.2 , , .470 , , .390 , , .865 , , 4.3 , , 6.9 , , 1.7 , , .3 , , 19.1
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
, style="text-align:left;",
Philadelphia
Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the sixth-largest city in the U.S., the second-largest city in both the Northeast megalopolis and Mid-Atlantic regions after New York City. Sinc ...
, 53 , , 53 , , 37.6 , , .455 , , .313 , , .873 , , 4.0 , , 5.9 , , 1.8 , , .2 , , 16.6
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
, style="text-align:left;",
Utah
Utah ( , ) is a state in the Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. Utah is a landlocked U.S. state bordered to its east by Colorado, to its northeast by Wyoming, to its north by Idaho, to its south by Arizona, and to it ...
, 27 , , 9 , , 30.6 , , .509 , , .429 , , .891 , , 2.5 , , 3.9 , , 1.2 , , .1 , , 14.6
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
, style="text-align:left;",
Utah
Utah ( , ) is a state in the Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. Utah is a landlocked U.S. state bordered to its east by Colorado, to its northeast by Wyoming, to its north by Idaho, to its south by Arizona, and to it ...
, 81 , , 81 , , 33.3 , , .514 , , .406 , , .882 , , 2.6 , , 4.3 , , 1.6 , , .2 , , 16.5
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
, style="text-align:left;",
Utah
Utah ( , ) is a state in the Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. Utah is a landlocked U.S. state bordered to its east by Colorado, to its northeast by Wyoming, to its north by Idaho, to its south by Arizona, and to it ...
, 82 , , 59 , , 31.6 , , .502 , , .466 , , .893 , , 2.5 , , 4.1 , , 1.3 , , .2 , , 15.2
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
, style="text-align:left;",
Utah
Utah ( , ) is a state in the Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. Utah is a landlocked U.S. state bordered to its east by Colorado, to its northeast by Wyoming, to its north by Idaho, to its south by Arizona, and to it ...
, 82 , , 82 , , 31.6 , , .482 , , .369 , , .899 , , 2.9 , , 4.4 , , 1.5 , , .3 , , 14.5
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
, style="text-align:left;",
Utah
Utah ( , ) is a state in the Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. Utah is a landlocked U.S. state bordered to its east by Colorado, to its northeast by Wyoming, to its north by Idaho, to its south by Arizona, and to it ...
, 80 , , 80 , , 30.8 , , .482 , , .441 , , .885 , , 3.4 , , 4.4 , , 1.4 , , .2 , , 14.2
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
, style="text-align:left;",
Utah
Utah ( , ) is a state in the Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. Utah is a landlocked U.S. state bordered to its east by Colorado, to its northeast by Wyoming, to its north by Idaho, to its south by Arizona, and to it ...
, 48 , , 48 , , 29.9 , , .477 , , .420 , , .893 , , 3.3 , , 4.0 , , 1.1 , , .3 , , 12.2
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
, style="text-align:left;",
Utah
Utah ( , ) is a state in the Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. Utah is a landlocked U.S. state bordered to its east by Colorado, to its northeast by Wyoming, to its north by Idaho, to its south by Arizona, and to it ...
, 77 , , 77 , , 27.7 , , .492 , , .478 , , .950 , , 2.4 , , 2.6 , , .9 , , .2 , , 12.4
, - class="sortbottom"
, style="text-align:center;" colspan="2", Career
, 1,077 , , 910 , , 31.5 , , .496 , , .403 , , .877 , , 3.4 , , 4.9 , , 1.4 , , .2 , , 14.5
, - class="sortbottom"
, style="text-align:center;" colspan="2", All-Star
, 1 , , 0 , , 24.0 , , .714 , , .500 , , – , , 2.0 , , 3.0 , , 1.0 , , .0 , , 11.0
Playoffs
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
1989
File:1989 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The Cypress Street Viaduct, Cypress structure collapses as a result of the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake, killing motorists below; The proposal document for the World Wide Web is submitted; The Exxo ...
, style="text-align:left;",
Phoenix
Phoenix most often refers to:
* Phoenix (mythology), a legendary bird from ancient Greek folklore
* Phoenix, Arizona, a city in the United States
Phoenix may also refer to:
Mythology
Greek mythological figures
* Phoenix (son of Amyntor), a ...
, 12, , 12, , 31.2, , .497, , .000, , .840, , 5.8, , 5.2, , 1.3, , .3, , 14.1
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
1990
File:1990 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The 1990 FIFA World Cup is played in Italy; The Human Genome Project is launched; Voyager I takes the famous Pale Blue Dot image- speaking on the fragility of Humankind, humanity on Earth, Astroph ...
, style="text-align:left;",
Phoenix
Phoenix most often refers to:
* Phoenix (mythology), a legendary bird from ancient Greek folklore
* Phoenix, Arizona, a city in the United States
Phoenix may also refer to:
Mythology
Greek mythological figures
* Phoenix (son of Amyntor), a ...
, 16, , 16, , 36.4, , .511, , .250, , .932, , 3.9, , 4.6, , 1.5, , .0, , 18.6
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
1991
File:1991 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: Boris Yeltsin, elected as Russia's first president, waves the new flag of Russia after the 1991 Soviet coup d'état attempt, orchestrated by Soviet hardliners; Mount Pinatubo erupts in the Phil ...
, style="text-align:left;",
Phoenix
Phoenix most often refers to:
* Phoenix (mythology), a legendary bird from ancient Greek folklore
* Phoenix, Arizona, a city in the United States
Phoenix may also refer to:
Mythology
Greek mythological figures
* Phoenix (son of Amyntor), a ...
, 4, , 4, , 36.3, , .431, , .500, , .929, , 6.3, , 2.0, , .8, , .5, , 18.3
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
1992
File:1992 Events Collage V1.png, From left, clockwise: 1992 Los Angeles riots, Riots break out across Los Angeles, California after the Police brutality, police beating of Rodney King; El Al Flight 1862 crashes into a residential apartment buildi ...
, style="text-align:left;",
Phoenix
Phoenix most often refers to:
* Phoenix (mythology), a legendary bird from ancient Greek folklore
* Phoenix, Arizona, a city in the United States
Phoenix may also refer to:
Mythology
Greek mythological figures
* Phoenix (son of Amyntor), a ...
, 8, , 8, , 42.9, , .484, , .471, , .912, , 6.4, , 5.3, , 1.8, , .3, , 20.4
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
1994
File:1994 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The 1994 Winter Olympics are held in Lillehammer, Norway; The Kaiser Permanente building after the 1994 Northridge earthquake; A model of the MS Estonia, which Sinking of the MS Estonia, sank in ...
, style="text-align:left;",
Utah
Utah ( , ) is a state in the Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. Utah is a landlocked U.S. state bordered to its east by Colorado, to its northeast by Wyoming, to its north by Idaho, to its south by Arizona, and to it ...
, 16, , 16, , 34.9, , .475, , .441, , .912, , 2.4, , 4.0, , 1.5, , .4, , 15.4
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
1995
File:1995 Events Collage V2.png, From left, clockwise: O.J. Simpson is O. J. Simpson murder case, acquitted of the murders of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ronald Goldman from the 1994, year prior in "The Trial of the Century" in the United States; The ...
, style="text-align:left;",
Utah
Utah ( , ) is a state in the Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. Utah is a landlocked U.S. state bordered to its east by Colorado, to its northeast by Wyoming, to its north by Idaho, to its south by Arizona, and to it ...
, 5, , 5, , 35.6, , .510, , .538, , .786, , 1.2, , 4.0, , 1.6, , .2, , 14.0
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
1996
File:1996 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: A Centennial Olympic Park bombing, bomb explodes at Centennial Olympic Park in Atlanta, set off by a radical Anti-abortion violence, anti-abortionist; The center fuel tank explodes on TWA Flight 8 ...
, style="text-align:left;",
Utah
Utah ( , ) is a state in the Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. Utah is a landlocked U.S. state bordered to its east by Colorado, to its northeast by Wyoming, to its north by Idaho, to its south by Arizona, and to it ...
, 18, , 18, , 35.8, , .502, , .586, , .890, , 3.6, , 3.3, , 1.1, , .2, , 17.5
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
1997
File:1997 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The movie set of ''Titanic'', the highest-grossing movie in history at the time; ''Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone'', is published; Comet Hale-Bopp passes by Earth and becomes one of t ...
, style="text-align:left;",
Utah
Utah ( , ) is a state in the Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. Utah is a landlocked U.S. state bordered to its east by Colorado, to its northeast by Wyoming, to its north by Idaho, to its south by Arizona, and to it ...
, 20, , 20, , 35.2, , .433, , .358, , .876, , 4.5, , 3.7, , 1.1, , .2, , 14.6
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
1998
1998 was designated as the ''International Year of the Ocean''.
Events January
* January 6 – The '' Lunar Prospector'' spacecraft is launched into orbit around the Moon, and later finds evidence for frozen water, in soil in permanently ...
, style="text-align:left;",
Utah
Utah ( , ) is a state in the Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. Utah is a landlocked U.S. state bordered to its east by Colorado, to its northeast by Wyoming, to its north by Idaho, to its south by Arizona, and to it ...
, 20, , 20, , 31.8, , .416, , .467, , .846, , 2.5, , 3.2, , 1.0, , .2, , 10.9
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
1999
File:1999 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The funeral procession of King Hussein of Jordan in Amman; the 1999 İzmit earthquake kills over 17,000 people in Turkey; the Columbine High School massacre, one of the first major school shootin ...
, style="text-align:left;",
Utah
Utah ( , ) is a state in the Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. Utah is a landlocked U.S. state bordered to its east by Colorado, to its northeast by Wyoming, to its north by Idaho, to its south by Arizona, and to it ...
, 11, , 11, , 27.6, , .462, , .389, , .879, , 3.7, , 2.4, , 1.0, , .0, , 12.2
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
2000
File:2000 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: Protests against Bush v. Gore after the 2000 United States presidential election; Heads of state meet for the Millennium Summit; The International Space Station in its infant form as seen from ...
, style="text-align:left;",
Utah
Utah ( , ) is a state in the Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. Utah is a landlocked U.S. state bordered to its east by Colorado, to its northeast by Wyoming, to its north by Idaho, to its south by Arizona, and to it ...
, 10, , 10, , 29.7, , .422, , .409, , .833, , 3.0, , 3.3, , 1.0, , .0, , 11.5
, - class="sortbottom"
, style="text-align:center;" colspan="2", Career
, 140 , , 140 , , 34.0 , , .470 , , .433 , , .886 , , 3.8 , , 3.8 , , 1.2 , , .2 , , 14.9
Coaching career
He was hired for the
2007–08 season by the Jazz as a special assistant coach and to help
Andrei Kirilenko
Andrei Gennadyevich Kirilenko (russian: Андрей Геннадьевич Кириленко; born February 18, 1981) is a Russian-American basketball executive and former professional basketball player, currently the commissioner of the Russ ...
and others with their shooting.
["Kirilenko plays best game of the season: Hornacek credited for big improvement in shooting prowess"]
– ''Deseret Morning News
The ''Deseret News'' () is the oldest continuously operating publication in the American west. Its multi-platform products feature journalism and commentary across the fields of politics, culture, family life, faith, sports, and entertainment. Th ...
''. – January 26, 2008. – Retrieved: June 16, 2008[Hanley, Brian. ]
"Hornacek was 'player-coach'"
. – ''Chicago Sun-Times
The ''Chicago Sun-Times'' is a daily newspaper published in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Since 2022, it is the flagship paper of Chicago Public Media, and has the second largest circulation among Chicago newspapers, after the ''Chicago T ...
''. – May 26, 2008. – Retrieved: June 16, 2008 In May 2008 Hornacek interviewed for a coaching position with the
Chicago Bulls
The Chicago Bulls are an American professional basketball team based in Chicago. The Bulls compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference Central Division. The team was founded on January 1 ...
, meeting with general manager
John Paxson
John MacBeth Paxson (born September 29, 1960) is an American basketball administrator and former player who was vice president of basketball operations for the Chicago Bulls of the National Basketball Association (NBA) from 2009 to 2020. He was th ...
. He put off seeking a coaching position until his children were older so the extensive travel would not put excess pressure on his family.
After the departure of
Jerry Sloan
Gerald Eugene Sloan (March 28, 1942 – May 22, 2020) was an American professional basketball player and coach. He played 11 seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA) before beginning a 30-year coaching career, 23 of which were spent ...
and
Phil Johnson in February 2011, Jeff Hornacek became a full assistant coach with the Utah Jazz.
During 2013, Hornacek was considered a head coach candidate for two of his former teams, the
Philadelphia 76ers
The Philadelphia 76ers, colloquially known as the Sixers, are an American professional basketball team based in the Philadelphia metropolitan area. The 76ers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eas ...
and the
Phoenix Suns
The Phoenix Suns are an American professional basketball team based in Phoenix, Arizona. They compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA), as a member of the league's Western Conference Pacific Division. The Suns are the only team in t ...
, as well as the
Charlotte Bobcats
Charlotte ( ) is the most populous city in the U.S. state of North Carolina. Located in the Piedmont region, it is the county seat of Mecklenburg County. The population was 874,579 at the 2020 census, making Charlotte the 16th-most populous ...
. On May 28, 2013, he was named the head coach of the Phoenix Suns. Hornacek has stated that his coaching style is reminiscent to that of
Cotton Fitzsimmons
Lowell Gibbs "Cotton" Fitzsimmons (October 7, 1931 – July 24, 2004) was an American college and NBA basketball coach. A native of Bowling Green, Missouri, he attended and played basketball at Hannibal-LaGrange Junior College in Hannibal, Mi ...
and Sloan, who both coached him back when he played for the coaches' respective teams. Hornacek also coached the Suns' Summer League team during the 2013 season in Las Vegas. In his first game as head coach at the Summer League, he helped lead the team to an 82–69 victory over the
Portland Trail Blazers
The Portland Trail Blazers (colloquially known as the Blazers) are an American professional basketball team based in Portland, Oregon. The Trail Blazers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Western Con ...
. The Suns went on a six-game winning streak before ultimately losing in the inaugural championship round to the
Golden State Warriors
The Golden State Warriors are an American professional basketball team based in San Francisco. The Warriors compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA), as a member of the league's Western Conference Pacific Division. Founded in 194 ...
91–77. Hornacek was 5–2 in pre-season and he started the
2013–14 NBA season with a 104–91 victory over the
Portland Trail Blazers
The Portland Trail Blazers (colloquially known as the Blazers) are an American professional basketball team based in Portland, Oregon. The Trail Blazers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Western Con ...
and an 87–84 victory over the
Utah Jazz
The Utah Jazz are an American professional basketball team based in Salt Lake City. The Jazz compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Western Conference (NBA), Western Conference, Northwest Division (NBA), ...
, both times at home. Hornacek also became the team's first ever head coach to start out his coaching stint with a 4–0 record at home games.
Hornacek won the NBA Coach of the Month award in December 2013, his first coaching honor, after leading the Suns to a 10–3 record during the month. Hornacek also became the third former NBA player to win both Player of the Month and Coach of the Month awards (after
Larry Bird
Larry Joe Bird (born December 7, 1956) is an American former professional basketball player, coach, and executive in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Nicknamed "the Hick from French Lick" and "Larry Legend", Bird is widely regarded a ...
and
Larry Drew
Larry Donnell Drew (born April 2, 1958) is an American professional basketball coach and former player who serves as assistant coach for the Los Angeles Clippers of the National Basketball Association (NBA).
Drew was named to the Kansas Sports ...
), and the first coach to receive both awards with the same team.
For the season, the Suns improved by 23 victories upon the previous season's record, which led to a 48–34 record in Hornacek's first season as a head coach. This accomplishment lead to the Phoenix Suns becoming the most improved team during the 2013–14 NBA season. Despite the improvement, the Suns still missed the playoffs and Hornacek was the runner-up coach in the
NBA Coach of the Year Award
The National Basketball Association's Coach of the Year is an annual National Basketball Association (NBA) award given since the 1962–63 NBA season. The winner receives the Red Auerbach Trophy, which is named in honor of the head coach who le ...
receiving 37 1st place votes. He lost to three-time winner
Gregg Popovich
Gregg Charles Popovich (born January 28, 1949) is an American professional basketball coach and executive who is the president and head coach of the San Antonio Spurs of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Taking over as coach of the Spur ...
.
On February 1, 2016, Hornacek was fired as head coach of the Phoenix Suns after two-and-a-half seasons in the position. On June 2, 2016, the
New York Knicks
The New York Knickerbockers, shortened and more commonly referred to as the New York Knicks, are an American professional basketball team based in the New York City borough of Manhattan. The Knicks compete in the National Basketball Associat ...
officially announced Hornacek as their new head coach. His first season in New York held a promising enough start, to the point where the team had a 16–13 record early on. However, malcontent surrounding the Knicks between the front office and some of their players resulted in Hornacek having a 31–51 record by the end of the season. On April 12, 2018, the Knicks fired Hornacek after a 29–53 season. On November 30, 2020, Hornacek was hired by the
Houston Rockets
The Houston Rockets are an American professional basketball team based in Houston. The Rockets compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member team of the league's Western Conference Southwest Division. The team plays its ho ...
as an assistant coach.
Head coaching record
, -
, align="left",
Phoenix
Phoenix most often refers to:
* Phoenix (mythology), a legendary bird from ancient Greek folklore
* Phoenix, Arizona, a city in the United States
Phoenix may also refer to:
Mythology
Greek mythological figures
* Phoenix (son of Amyntor), a ...
, align="left",
, 82, , 48, , 34, , , , align="center", 3rd in
Pacific
The Pacific Ocean is the largest and deepest of Earth's five oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic Ocean in the north to the Southern Ocean (or, depending on definition, to Antarctica) in the south, and is bounded by the continen ...
, , —, , —, , —, , —
, align="center", Missed playoffs
, -
, align="left",
Phoenix
Phoenix most often refers to:
* Phoenix (mythology), a legendary bird from ancient Greek folklore
* Phoenix, Arizona, a city in the United States
Phoenix may also refer to:
Mythology
Greek mythological figures
* Phoenix (son of Amyntor), a ...
, align="left",
, 82, , 39, , 43, , , , align="center", 3rd in Pacific, , —, , —, , —, , —
, align="center", Missed playoffs
, -
, align="left",
Phoenix
Phoenix most often refers to:
* Phoenix (mythology), a legendary bird from ancient Greek folklore
* Phoenix, Arizona, a city in the United States
Phoenix may also refer to:
Mythology
Greek mythological figures
* Phoenix (son of Amyntor), a ...
, align="left",
, 49, , 14, , 35, , , , align="center", (fired), , —, , —, , —, , —
, align="center", —
, -
, align="left" ,
New York
New York most commonly refers to:
* New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York
* New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States
New York may also refer to:
Film and television
* '' ...
, align="left" ,
, 82, , 31, , 51, , , , align="center", 3rd in
Atlantic
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's five oceans, with an area of about . It covers approximately 20% of Earth's surface and about 29% of its water surface area. It is known to separate the " Old World" of Africa, Europe an ...
, , —, , —, , —, , —
, align="center", Missed playoffs
, -
, align="left",
New York
New York most commonly refers to:
* New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York
* New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States
New York may also refer to:
Film and television
* '' ...
, align="left",
, 82, , 29, , 53, , , , align="center", 4th in Atlantic, , —, , —, , —, , —
, align="center", Missed playoffs
, -class="sortbottom"
, align="center" colspan="2", Career, , 277, , 161, , 216, , , , , , —, , —, , —, , —, ,
Stats
Iowa State University records:
* Career steals: 211
* Career complete games: 30
* Season assists: 219 (1985–1986; 2nd w/198 1983–1984)
* Season, assists per-game average: 6.83 (1984; 2nd w/6.63 – 1986)
NBA totals:
* Games: 1,077
* Minutes played: 33,959
* Points: 15,659 (14.5 per game)
* Assists: 5,281 (4.9 per game)
* Steals: 1,536 (1.43 per game)
Personal life
Hornacek is of Czech descent. He is the brother-in-law of Phoenix Suns athletic trainer Aaron Nelson. When
Joe Proski was the Suns' head athletic trainer, Hornacek recommended Nelson as an assistant for him. Nelson would be his assistant in 1993 before being the head athletic trainer in 2000 onward. Hornacek's father, John, was a high school coach for basketball and baseball at
St. Joseph High School in
Westchester, Illinois
Westchester is a village in Cook County, Illinois, United States. It is a western suburb of Chicago. The population was 16,892 at the 2020 census. The current Village President is Nick Steker, serving in the special role of acting president after ...
. Hornacek considers his father, alongside
Cotton Fitzsimmons
Lowell Gibbs "Cotton" Fitzsimmons (October 7, 1931 – July 24, 2004) was an American college and NBA basketball coach. A native of Bowling Green, Missouri, he attended and played basketball at Hannibal-LaGrange Junior College in Hannibal, Mi ...
and
Jerry Sloan
Gerald Eugene Sloan (March 28, 1942 – May 22, 2020) was an American professional basketball player and coach. He played 11 seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA) before beginning a 30-year coaching career, 23 of which were spent ...
, as an influence towards his coaching career.
Hornacek married his wife Stacy on June 7, 1986. Jeff and Stacy have three children: Ryan (born 1989), Tyler (born 1990) and Abby (born 1994). Abby became a digital host for the online 120 Sports network in 2016, and joined ''
Fox Nation
Fox Nation is an American subscription video on demand service. Announced on February 20, 2018, and launching on November 27 of that year, it is a companion to Fox News Channel carrying programming of interest to its audience, including original ...
'' in 2019.
Hornacek was an active member of St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church in Salt Lake City in 2002.
Hornacek is represented by
Steve A. Kauffman and Spencer Breecker of Kauffman Sports Management Group.
See also
*
List of National Basketball Association career steals leaders
This article provides two lists:
:A list of National Basketball Association players by total career regular season steals.
:A progressive list of steals leaders showing how the record has increased through the years.
Steals leaders
This is a lis ...
References
External links
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hornacek, Jeff
1963 births
Living people
American men's basketball coaches
American men's basketball players
American people of Czech descent
American Roman Catholics
Basketball coaches from Illinois
Basketball players from Illinois
Houston Rockets assistant coaches
Iowa State Cyclones men's basketball players
National Basketball Association All-Stars
National Basketball Association players with retired numbers
New York Knicks head coaches
People from Elmhurst, Illinois
Sportspeople from La Grange, Illinois
People from Paradise Valley, Arizona
Philadelphia 76ers players
Phoenix Suns draft picks
Phoenix Suns head coaches
Phoenix Suns players
Shooting guards
Sportspeople from DuPage County, Illinois
Sportspeople from the Phoenix metropolitan area
Utah Jazz assistant coaches
Utah Jazz players