Ex-Utah Jazz coach afflicted with Parkinson's disease, dementia

Former Utah Jazz coach Jerry Sloan is suffering from Parkinson's disease plus Lewy body dementia, The Salt Lake Tribune reported Wednesday.

Sloan disclosed the illnesses during an interview at his home in Riverton, Utah.

Sloan said he received the diagnosis last fall and decided to make his condition public because the Parkinson's symptoms -- which include tremors, a hushed voice and sleeplessness -- have reached a point where they are noticeable to others.

Sloan told the Tribune that he still walks four miles a day.

"I don't want people feeling sorry for me," Sloan said.

According to MayoClinic.com, Parkinson's disease is "a progressive disorder of the nervous system that affects movement. It develops gradually, sometimes starting with a barely noticeable tremor in just one hand. But while a tremor may be the most well-known sign of Parkinson's disease, the disorder also commonly causes stiffness or slowing of movement."

There is no known cure for Parkinson's disease, but some medications have improved the symptoms.

Sloan said he also has Lewy body dementia, a neurological disorder that affects memory and analytical thinking.

Sloan, 74, coached the Jazz from 1988 to 2011. He was elected to the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in 2009 and is the third-winningest head coach in NBA history.

The Jazz later issued a staement, which read, "Jerry Sloan is and always will be a beloved member of the Utah Jazz family, and we know he will approach this fight with the same grit and determination he displayed as a Hall of Fame coach and All-Star player in the NBA for 40-plus years. On behalf of the Miller family, the Jazz organization and Jazz fans everywhere, we send Jerry and his wife Tammy our love, support and best wishes."