TUCSON, Arizona — "I’m a coach through and through," says Jason Terry, upon beginning his first collegiate opportunity.
Terry, the former Arizona Wildcat great nicknamed "The Jet," sits in the passenger seat of a car as he's reintroduced to the media. Assuming that there's a 2021 season, he’ll be helping to steer Arizona basketball in the fall.
The 19-year NBA veteran first reached out to Arizona associate head coach Jack Murphy last year, and that led to lunch with Sean Miller.
"He definitely explained to me that they did not have a position for me but he would keep me in mind, " said Terry. "Let’s continue our talks."
Terry attended the Wildcats game at Baylor, and he was actually invited to speak the team before their second round game in the Pac-12 Tournament.
"Right before that game, they canceled the game, got everybody out of Vegas, so I never got to speak to the team," lamented Terry.
He’ll be speaking a lot to the team, now. Arizona head coach Sean Miller hired Terry after a position opened up.
"What I love about him is that you can feel him coming," said Miller. "He brings a smile to your face. He has an energy about him, and a love for the game."
Terry will coach in a McKale Center arena where his jersey hangs in the rafters. He’s part of the Wildcat family, and a member of his extended family, graduate transfer Terrell Brown, will be on next years team. They know each other from time spent in Seattle.
"I’ve always thought highly of his talents," said Terry. He’s proven that he’s a winner."
Winning is something Jason Terry did as a player. He was the sixth man on the Arizona 1997 title team.
And, "The Jet" was riding in the car because he was off to take a jet. He was on his way to the Phoenix airport.
