SALT LAKE CITY —Alex Jensen, a Runnin’ Utes legend and seasoned NBA assistant coach, appears set to become Utah Basketball’s newest head coach. The news first reported by ESPN’s Pete Thamel.
Jensen was always viewed as the top target, but a select few other promising candidates were interviewed during the process.
After a swift search, University of Utah president Taylor Randall and athletics director Mark Harlan followed through on the highly anticipated move.
Ultimately, Utah felt Jensen was the right man for the job, and the two parties have agreed to terms on a deal that makes him the new head coach of the Runnin’ Utes.
Alex Jensen, head coach of Utah Basketball
Jensen will return to his alma mater with 18 seasons of coaching experience, highlighted by 12 as an NBA assistant. He has spent the past two seasons working under head coach Jason Kidd with the Dallas Mavericks. Before that, Jensen spent 10 seasons with the Utah Jazz, including time under Tyrone Corbin and Quin Snyder.
As an NBA assistant, Jensen has worked closely with players like Luka Doncic, Kyrie Irving, Lauri Markkanen, Donovan Mitchell, and Rudy Gobert.
Prior to his breakthrough in the league with the Utah Jazz, Jensen served as head coach of Canton Charge, a G-League Organization. Jensen was named G-League Coach of the Year during the 2012-13 season in which he led the Charge to the top record in the league.
However, after starring as a player for legendary coach Rick Majerus at Utah, his coaching career started as an assistant under him at Saint Louis, too. Jensen spent four seasons on the bench under Majerus, which provided the foundation for his coaching career.
This is a significantly positive move for Utah Basketball and Athletics in general. Utah landed the right guy to lead the program into the future. As the landscape shifts, the program now has someone who understands the recipe at Utah.
After a year in the Big 12 Conference, Utah proved that it can compete. The fanbase has long desired Jensen as head coach, so his return is expected to reignite the passion for the very proud program. With the expected influx of resources and overall support, the move suggests Utah wants to genuinely contend at the top of the conference now too.
Steve Bartle is the Utah insider for KSL Sports. He hosts The Utah Blockcast (SUBSCRIBE) and appears on KSL Sports Zone to break down the Utes. You can follow him on X for the latest Utah updates and game analysis.
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