In an interview with The Salt Lake Tribuneon Wednesday, former Utah Jazz coach Jerry Sloan revealed that he is suffering from Parkinson's disease, as well as Lewy body dementia. The 74-year-old said he was diagnosed last fall, but decided to come forward with the news now after people started noticing some of the Parkinson's symptoms.
According to MayoClinic.org, Lewy body dementia "causes a progressive decline in mental abilities" where "protein deposits, called Lewy bodies, develop in nerve cells in regions of your brain involved in thinking, memory and movement."
From 1988 to 2011, Sloan roamed the sidelines for the Jazz and helped take the team to back-to-back NBA Finals appearances. His impressive resume, which includes being the third-winningest head coach in NBA history, led to a Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame induction in 2009.
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[via The Salt Lake Tribune]
