'Shoot the Shot' series reveals human side of Will Hardy, Jazz

SALT LAKE CITY — Collin Sexton glanced over at Will Hardy before he answered a question about his coach.

The Jazz coach was busy waltzing around the gym, and distracting players as they shot free throws to finish up a shootaround session. He was in Simone Fontecchio's ear, he clapped loudly at Lauri Markkanen, and he skipped across the lane as a shot was about to go up.

"That's just him. Even right now, he's just over here playing around and joking around," Sexton said. "That's just him. That's how he operates."

That much is quite clear for anyone who's watched an episode of the Hardy-hosted Jazz+ show, "Shoot the Shot with Coach Hardy."

The premise of the segment is simple: Hardy interviews a guest as he plays them in a short free throw game, a game that Hardy usually wins.

"It has been weird for me, honestly," Hardy said. "It's been fun, though, to try to introduce some of our players and staff to our fan base in a way that maybe we wouldn't get to. … I think it's an opportunity for us to really humanize our entire organization to the fan base."

There have been plenty of fun facts that have been discovered throughout the first nine episodes. Ochai Agbaji makes music beats as a hobby, Markkanen is an avid disc golfer (watch out for him at Creekside Park in Holiday), and assistant coach Chris Jones got an NBA job in maybe the oddest way possible — by applying for it online.

The star, though, is Hardy.

The series has provided a behind-the-scenes look at who the Jazz coach is when he's not pacing up the sideline or giving an earful to an official. The interviews are less of a basic Q&A and more just entertaining banter between two people. The results have been refreshingly human.

"Having that relationship with your coach and being able to just hang out and talk normal stuff, I think it's really good for the environment," Markkanen said.

Memorable moments

Lauri Markkaenen

The episode with Markkanen opens with the two warming up. Hardy attempts to post as he hunts for a shot down low and Markkanen easily swatting it away. It ends with this exchange:

"Do you have Spotify or Apple Music?" Hardy said as he prepped for the game-winning freebie.

"Spotify, of course," Markkanen said.

"What do you mean of course?" a suddenly appalled Hardy responded. "What kind of answer is that?"

"Who plays Apple Music?" Markkanen said.

"I do. That's why I'm offended," Hardy said dryly.

Collin Sexton

During the episode with Sexton — the only person to beat Hardy at the game as of now — Hardy asked about the point guard's favorite dessert. The answer was a surprise.

"Top Golf, they have the best cookie skillet," Sexton said.

"You are going to Top Golf for dessert?" a stunned Hardy asked.

"Either that or a McDonald's McFlurry," Sexton said.

Now, that was something Hardy could get behind.

"After my daughter's soccer practice, we hit up McDonald's each time for a shake," he said. "The problem we've got now is she orders chocolate and she won't let me order chocolate, but I want chocolate. She's like, 'No, I get chocolate, you get vanilla!' Imagine me arguing with a 4-year-old."

Assistant coach Chris Jones

Jones played four seasons at Pitt before starting his coaching career. He spent a season as a grad assistant at TCU and then applied for an open position with the Jazz. He had no contacts within the organization but got the job.

"You are the only person in the history of the NBA to apply online and get it," Hardy said. "Send in the applications, by the way, everyone at home, we are waiting."

When Hardy asked what kind of player he was at Pitt, Jones responded: "I definitely identified myself on the defense end."

"Where you at, bro?" Hardy joked back. "Our defense needs work. Why don't you start coaching harder?"

Sidenote: Maybe he has! This episode was filmed in the early parts of the season. Over the last 11 games, the Jazz have the No. 7 defense in the NBA.

During the episode with Jones, Hardy also nearly gave out his contact info to fans.

"We need to start an NBA restaurant recommendation list. … The NBA talks more about food than anything," Hardy said. "I don't know how to monetize that, if anyone at home has any ideas on how to make that a business, hit me up at — I almost just said my email address."

He probably would have gotten more than just business ideas.

Tony Finau

When PGA golfer and avid Jazz fan Tony Finau joined the program, Hardy asked him who his favorite player was on the team.

"Collin and JC (Jordan Clarkson)," Finau said.

To which Hardy quickly responded, "Two people that listen to me very little, by the way."

Growing the segment

In November, following a win over the Jazz, Lakers forward LeBron James was asked how it felt to be older than the opposing coach.

"I'm older than the head coach?" James asked in a tone of some self-reflection. "Oh, wow."

He put his head down, shook it, and said, "Oh my goodness."

The Jazz content team sees that as an advantage.

"We all saw that clip with LeBron," Jazz senior director of content Angie Treasure said. "We're in a unique spot where we have a coach who kind of understands the content spectrum, and is supportive of this adventure we're doing."

When the Jazz were first coming up with the idea of the segment, they knew they wanted to have one featuring Hardy and team owner Ryan Smith. After that, though, things were a bit up in the air. But Hardy jumped in and volunteered to lead the series.

"It's been fun to be on the other side of these interviews that I now do," Hardy said. "It's hard to sit there and come up with the questions sometimes of what to ask — especially since we're playing a free throw game that we're not sure how long it's gonna last, but it's been cool."

Hardy said the hope is to get through to everyone on the team — players and coaches — but others might come into play, as well. Like the episode with Finau, the Jazz see it as a way to broaden their reach. The Jazz wanted to get Adam Sandler on for an episode last month when he was in Salt Lake City, but, unfortunately, the schedules didn't line up.

"Hopefully, the vision is we'll get other influencers in, like sports figures from around Utah to come participate," Treasure said. "But we like it as an interview segment as a way to get to know Will, who is a pretty interesting guy."

He's showing that — one episode at a time.

Related topics