Sloan: Spotlight, speech, squirm News Utah Jazz

This is somewhat of a sweet-and-sour week for Jerry Sloan. Sweet because, well, as much as he hems and haws about not wanting to be in the spotlight, the Jazz coach is about to become immortalized in the hoops world with one of the greatest tributes and achievements in all of sports. And he gets to experience that at the same time as one of his favorite people and former players, John Stockton. So, make no mistake.

Sloan graciously admits that being inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame with his legendary point guard ? which will happen for them Friday in Springfield, Mass., along with Michael Jordan, David Robinson and C. Vivian Stringer ? is quite special. Sweet even. "It's a tremendous honor for me and my family, just something that I never expected and really didn't dream about," Sloan said. "A lot of people talk about dreaming about it. It wasn't one of those things for me, because I can't dream that good." And the sour part? Sloan prefers hangnails to hoopla about himself, for starters. Then there's the fact that he feels less than qualified to be in the Hall because he's yet to coach a team to a league championship. Getting enshrined at the same time as the man who helped thwart his two best attempts ? that'd be Jordan and his 1997 and '98 Chicago Bulls, of course ? is one heckuva a reminder of that. There's also that darn speech he has to give at the official enshrinement ceremony. Sloan has been working on it, but, oh boy, don't remind him. Might as well hand him some lemon pulp to gulp. "I don't know what the hell it will be," he joked this past week. "It's not something I look forward to doing." It will be from the heart, though. And if it's the shortest speech in Hall of Fame history, it won't be for a lack of Sloan voicing his appreciation to those who have helped him make this moment possible. "The most important thing is to try to thank a bunch of people. That's all I know. What else am I going to say?" Sloan said. "I wouldn't be here without a whole lot of people. That goes without saying. "There's people everywhere that's had a piece of my career," he added, "whether it be a teammate or a coach, all the people I've been involved with." Sloan is not sure how many of that group will be in attendance, but he's had one solid confirmation. "One of my teammates I played with in grade school is going to be there," said the McLeansboro, Ill., native. Sloan smiled and quickly added, "He's an old rascal." The 67-year-old Sloan said he's been asked not to divulge who will present him at the enshrinement, but it won't be Stockton. Per tradition, it will likely be a current Hall of Famer. Without his family's prodding, Sloan might just be traveling back to Massachusetts this week to support Stockton. Though players are eligible to be nominated and go through the selection process five years after they retire, coaches' names can be submitted while they're still actively coaching. The Jazz had been waiting for Sloan's approval to throw his name in the hat ? all the better that it coincided with Stockton being eligible and with the season in which the longtime bench boss became the first NBA coach to ever win 1,000 games with the same team. Still, it took some encouragement from his kids and loved ones for him to finally agree to it. Turns out, the Hall of Fame committee agreed with Sloan's family and the Jazz . Both he and Stockton were voted in the first time they were eligible. "I hesitated because I really didn't see myself (as a Hall of Famer)," Sloan admitted. "(I) never won a championship, never been involved in some of the other things, All-Star games, that sort of thing." But, he added, "I talked to my kids and my family and that's why I changed my mind. ? They said I should just do it." Now that it's getting closer ? and speech time is about here ? Sloan is feeling more honored, humbled and butterflies. "So many emotions will run through me, I'm sure," he said. "I just hope I can get through the day." e-mail: jody@desnews.com