Utah has filled the vacant men’s head basketball coach position by hiring Dallas Mavericks assistant Alex Jensen. The 48-year-old alum and former player for Rick Majerus on the 1997-98 Runnin’ Utes team that reached the national title game has agreed to lead the program. Utah’s AD Mark Harlan expressed confidence in Jensen’s ability to develop players and elevate the program back to national prominence.
Jensen’s coaching journey began under Majerus at Saint Louis University before transitioning to the NBA, where he spent the past 12 years, most recently with the Mavericks. Known for his coaching experience at various levels, Jensen has previously served as a head coach for the Canton Charge and for Team USA at the 2022 FIBA AmeriCup.
Utah’s decision to hire Jensen follows a trend of NBA assistant coaches transitioning to college coaching ranks, as seen with in-state rival BYU bringing in Kevin Young last year. With the program aiming to return to its former glory, Jensen’s extensive coaching background and familiarity with the university are seen as assets. There are also rumors of Jensen’s former teammate, Andre Miller, potentially joining the coaching staff at Utah.
Having experienced success as a player with Utah, Jensen now faces the task of leading the program to success on the national stage once again. The Utes’ last deep NCAA Tournament run was in 2015, and Jensen’s appointment aims to rejuvenate the program’s competitiveness as they navigate the transition from the Pac-12 to the Big 12 conference.
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