It’s official – former University of Arizona All-American Jason Terry is now an assistant coach for the Wildcats.
He was officially named to the position Thursday morning after word of his possible return to the program came about a month and a half ago.
“My family and I are excited to be part of the incredible Tucson community again, where our story began,” Terry said in a release by the school. “I am looking forward to joining Coach Miller and staff to develop student-athletes that have a passion for education, basketball excellence and community leadership.”
This will be Terry’s first coaching job at this level. He’s two years removed from his 19-year NBA career, one that saw him be named the NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year and where he won an NBA title with the Dallas Mavericks.
“We are excited to welcome Jason Terry, his wife, Johnyika, and their daughters to our program and the community,” Arizona coach Sean Miller said. “Jason’s accomplishments as a player and champion are iconic in our sport, with so many of his incredible moments on the court taking place here at the University of Arizona. His basketball journey is one that so many players dream of, but he was able to make it a reality.
“Jason’s knowledge of the game along with his charisma and competitive spirit are qualities that will make him an exceptional coach. He will impact and energize our current players as well as our recruiting efforts in a major way. We look forward to having back on our sideline in the McKale Center.”
Terry played 129 games for Hall of Fame head coach Lute Olson from 1995-99 and helped the ‘Cats to their national championship in 1997. He finished his illustrious career at Arizona with 1,461 points, a total that ranks 18th in school history.
He is one of 26 players to currently have their name in the Ring of Honor in the McKale Center and one of just six men’s basketball players at Arizona to have their jersey number recognized in the rafters of the McKale Center. He was named college basketball’s player of the year in 1999 after averaging 21.9 points, 5.5 assists, 3.3 rebounds and 2.8 steals a game.
The Atlanta Hawks selected Terry with the 10th overall pick in the 1999 NBA Draft and he earned NBA All-Rookie Second Team honors after averaging 19.7 points, 3.3 rebounds, 4.9 assists and 1.3 steals his first season in the league. After playing with the Hawks from 1999-2004, he was traded to the Dallas Mavericks, where he played from 2004-2012.
In September 2019, Terry was named Assistant General Manager for the Texas Legends, the NBA G-League affiliate of the Dallas Mavericks.
As part of the CATS Forever program at the University of Arizona, Terry received his bachelor’s degree in General Studies with an emphasis on Social, Behavioral and Human Understanding in 2015.
Information for this story was provided by the UA’s Communication office.
Be sure to listen to Steve Rivera & Jay Gonzales on their show Eye on the Ball weekdays from 6-7 p.m. on 1030 The Voice. Stream live at KVOI.com.
Recommended for you
