SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4 Sports) - Alex Jensen is coming home to Utah.
Jensen was hired as the University of Utah's 17th head basketball coach Thursdaay, replacing Craig Smith, who was fired last month.
Jensen has spent the last 12 years as an NBA assistant, ten with the Utah Jazz and the last two with the Dallas Mavericks. He has never been a head coach of a college or NBA team.
"My basketball journey has been filled with so many people who have helped shape me as a coach and as a person, ultimately guiding me to this opportunity to lead the Runnin' Utes basketball program," said Jensen. "I'm thankful for all of the great mentors I've had along the way as I embark on this next step to lead Utah Basketball. This is an exciting chapter for my family and me, and I'm looking forward to returning to a place that has meant so much to me. I can't wait to get to work with our student athletes, coaches and the University as we move forward to achieve our goals. I want to thank University of Utah President Taylor Randall, Athletics Director Mark Harlan and the University of Utah Board of Trustees for their faith in me as we move into the future of Utah basketball."
Jensen is a Utah native who won Mr. Basketball in the state in 1994 at Viewmont High School, and then played for the Utes under Rick Majerus, winning Mountain West Player of the Year in 2000 and helping lead the program to four NCAA tournament appearances. He also was a starter on the Utah team that went to the 1998 national championship game and lost to Kentucky.
Jensen was involved in the last Utah coaching search in 2021 before withdrawing his name from consideration deep into the process. The Utes hired Smith to replace Larry Krystkowiak two days later.
Jensen has experience coaching in college, spending four seasons as an assistant coach at Saint Louis under Majerus before moving into the professional ranks.
"This is an exciting day for our men's basketball program and for the University of Utah community, as Alex Jensen officially returns to Salt Lake City as our new head coach," Harlan said. "Alex brings with him tremendous experience coaching at the collegiate, NBA and international levels, and is widely-respected for his ability to develop players and teach the game of basketball. Alex has a vision and a plan for leading the Runnin' Utes basketball program back among the nation's elite, and I am confident that he will elevate our program and reignite the passion of our fan base along the way. I'd also like to thank President Randall and the Board of Trustees for their support through this process. It's exciting to welcome back a beloved figure in Runnin' Utes basketball history, as well as his family!"
The Utes have not made the NCAA Tournament since 2016 under Larry Krystkowiak.
Josh Eilert is currently the Utes interim head coach. Utah is 16-14 this season, 8-11 in the Big 12 Conference. Utah will wrap up the regular season Saturday at BYU.
Following his freshman season at Utah in 1994-95, he went on a two-year mission. Upon his return, Jensen earned a spot in the starting lineup for the 1997-98 season and helped lead the Utes to one of the best years in school history with a run to the Final Four and an appearance in the NCAA Championship game.
As a junior, Jensen took another big step in his development, earning All-Western Athletic Conference honors and being named to the WAC All-Defensive Team. He averaged 12.1 points and 7.6 rebounds, and was the 1999 WAC Men's Basketball Tournament MVP, as he led the Utes back to the NCAA Tournament.
Jensen capped his senior season in 1999-2000 by winning the first Mountain West Conference Player of the Year award in the league's inaugural season. He averaged 13.1 points and 7.5 rebounds that season and finished with 1,279 points and 896 rebounds in his college career. Jensen was part of four conference championship teams and made four trips to the NCAA tournament in his time with the Runnin' Utes.