Eleven days after officially announcing Alex Jensen as Utah Basketball’s next head coach, Jensen was introduced at the Jon M. Huntsman on Monday night for the first time as Coach Jensen.
Now roaming the court in a suit and tie, and not in his familiar No. 50 jersey, Jensen honored the past and looked ahead to the future, acknowledging that the game has drastically changed since he was a star playing for legendary head coach Rick Majerus.
"I remember playing here, and the history, especially basketball, it's rich," said Jensen. "And I remember thinking, like, you're in a long chain of great players and great teams. And I think, obviously, I don't want to say it's a continuation of the past — I think it's a connection — but I've specifically approached this forward-looking, forward-facing, and to carry on the tradition."
After accumulating 13 years of NBA coaching experience, and seeing the college game adopt more NBA trends over that span, Jensen is eager to put his stamp on the program.
"I think as far as style, it's gonna be a lot of NBA, but it's going to depend on the personnel I have," he added. "I want them to, I don't want to say play fast, but I want them to play free, not be afraid to make mistakes. But also, we'll have a solid core of hard playing, and there's things that we do every night.”
Much like his former coach, friend, and mentor, Jensen indicated that he will take pride in the passion with which his teams will play the game.
“It's going to be a tough, hard-nosed, competitive team that will make the fan base proud," said Jensen. "That's the one thing that I will strive to do, and won't cut corners, but it'll be a team that they'll be proud of."
Over the years, Jensen has garnered a lot of respect for how he approaches coaching. He’s well-regarded as a skill developer, as someone with an "X’s and O’s" mind, and as someone who can skillfully process things on and off the court.
Utah Athletics Director Mark Harlan mentioned that what stood out to him most about Jensen is how he processes things.
“You know, it wasn’t X’s and O’s. It had nothing to do with that,” Harlan said. “When we met face to face, it was just getting to know each other better. As the process went on, he just asked such thoughtful questions. I can tell his excitement was there, but he’s just a very thoughtful thinker, processor.”
This is a skill set that has served Jensen well over the years. He’s coached under well-respected coaches including Majerus, Ty Corbin, Quin Snyder, Will Hardy, and Jason Kidd.
“All of the coaches I’ve worked under, they’ve had a different personality and a different approach,” said Jensen. “It was always fun to watch and learn, and ask questions, and that was the good thing because you could see what players respond to, and what they don’t, and the timing of it.”
There’s a lot of belief in Jensen amongst those coaches he’s coached under, former Utah teammates, former Utah assistants, Utah administrators, and boosters. Harlan sees the importance of this hire and how it can get the once-storied Utah Basketball program back on track.
“I get it, this is a family,” said Harlan. “This program is a family. And you know, Alex is a key step, along with others joining in and getting this place (the Jon M. Huntsman Center) filled up again.”
As Utah turns the page by bringing back elements from the glory days, it will also be with an eye toward the future, and Jensen appears to be the right man for the moment. As a player, Jensen was Majerus’ eyes, ears, and mind on the court. Now, he will get to create his own legacy as a coach — already as a well-respected basketball mind known for connecting with his players and delivering results.
“I realized today that I can’t be Coach Majerus,” admitted Jensen. “I’ve got to find myself, and I can’t be the other way. But I think, I think players and people react and respond to you being genuine. You know, whether it’s encouraging or telling them to do it again and again and again,” he said.
It’s that kind of genuine, hard-nosed nature that the Utah administration and boosters are banking on to revive a once proud and prestigious basketball program. A new era of Utah basketball has begun.
