Jerry Jones, the late Hall of Famer Denny Crum’s longtime assistant coach for the Louisville men’s basketball team, passed away. He was eighty-nine.
In a statement released Monday afternoon, U of L declared Jones dead.
Sherry, the eldest daughter of Jones, said that her father had been placed in hospice care in a post on Nov. 19 on X, the social networking site that was once known as Twitter. More than a dozen former teammates and players, including second-year U of L head coach Kenny Payne, paid him visits during his final weeks.
Payne posted on X, saying, “Prayers to the family of Coach Jones.” “For countless athletes who wore the jersey, he held immense meaning. You were a blessing to have as a coach, and I will always be appreciative of you and your family.”
Jones was coached by former Louisville athletics director Bill Olsen, who was on Crum’s staff and said, “My first impression (of him) was the same as the last impression: enthusiastic, positive, upbeat, and very delightful to be around,” in a Monday interview with The Courier Journal.
Head coach Scott Davenport of Bellarmine, who joined Jones on the bench as a colleague for the Cardinals in the late 1990s after having seen Jones play on Louisville’s JV team in 1975, said, “Coach Jones was extraordinary, because he made others better.”
He clarified, “It wasn’t just basketball players.” “Campers, other coaches, locals, and his golfing buddies were among them. He improved people everywhere he went. He was very remarkable.”
