The assistant coach of Dallas Mavericks, Alex Jensen, was hired as male basketball coach at the University of Utah, the school announced Thursday.
Jensen is a native of Utah who won the Basketball in the state in 1994 and then played for the UTES with Rick Majerus, winning the player of the year of Mountain West in 2000 and helping to take the program to four appearances in the NCAA tournament. He also started in the Utah team that went to the 1998 national championship game and lost to Kentucky.
Jensen joined Jason Kidd staff in Dallas in 2023 after a decade as Utah jazz assistant, advancing to the NBA playoffs six times. He has experience in university training, after having spent four seasons as an assistant coach in Saint Louis under Majerus before moving on to professional ranks.
“This is an exciting day for our male basketball program and for the University of the University of Utah, since Alex Jensen officially returns to Salt Lake City as our new chief coach,” said Utah athletics director Mark Harlan. “Alex brings with him a tremendous experience in the university, NBA and international training, and is widely respected for his ability to develop players and teach the basketball game. Alex has a vision and a plan to lead the Runnin 'UTES basketball program between the nation's elite, and I am sure that he will raise our program and reabs will reabs manner”. “.” “.” “.” “.” “.” “.” “.” “.” “.” “.”
Jensen will replace Craig Smith, who was fired last month towards the end of his fourth season by the program. Smith took the UTES to a 65-62 record without an appearance in the NCAA tournament. They won 22 games last season, playing at the NCAA tournament bubble, but lost eight of their last 12 regular season games to fall out of consideration.
Jensen was involved in the previous search for Utah coaching in 2021 before withdrawing his name deeply in the process. The UTES hired Smith to replace Larry Krystkowiak two days later.
“My basketball trip has been filled with as many people who have helped me to shape and as a person, ultimately, guiding me to this opportunity to lead the Runnin 'UTES basketball program,” said Jense. “I am grateful for all the great mentors that I have had on the way while I embark on this next step to lead Utah's basketball.”
Utah has not advanced to the NCAA tournament since 2016 and has made only four appearances since Majerus resigned for health reasons in 2004.
The program will now try to follow a path similar to the rival of the state byu, which hired Phoenix Suns assistant coach Kevin Young, to replace Mark Pope the last spring.
Encouraged by an influx of null support, the Cougars have won seven games in a row and are ready to win their first NCAA tournament game since 2011. They also obtained recruit No. 1, AJ Dybantsa, in December, beating people like North Carolina and Alabama for the wing of praise.
