When Martin Schiller arrived in Salt Lake City as the new head coach of the Stars in 2017, the franchise had just completed its first season based in Utah as the official NBA G League affiliate of the Jazz. In three years at the helm, Schiller took the organization to dizzying new heights, finishing at the top of the Western Conference with a 30-12 (.714) mark in the 2019-20 shortened season and earning Coach of the Year honors in June.
Now, he’s off to a new challenge as the head coach of Žalgiris Kaunas, a powerhouse club that competes in the Lithuanian Basketball League and EuroLeague.
“Not only did the Stars have success, but he also had a significant impact on the Jazz program with his role in the development of the team’s young players,” said Jazz Head Coach Quin Snyder. “All of us wish Martin and his family the best as he moves forward with this exciting next step.”
Schiller brings a stellar resume with him to his new team in the Baltic, as he developed a winning culture and prepared staff, coaches and players for roles with the Jazz and throughout the NBA. More than half of the current Jazz roster played with the Stars under Schiller, a testament to his outsized impact on the franchise. Jazz players Tony Bradley, Jarrell Brantley, Juwan Morgan, Georges Niang, Royce O’Neale, Miye Oni, Rayjon Tucker, Nigel Williams-Goss and Justin Wright-Foreman all own NBA G League experience with the Stars.
The Stars’ accolades from their most successful season in franchise history continued when Bart Taylor, director of scouting for the Jazz and vice president of basketball operations for the Stars, was named the NBA G League Basketball Executive of the Year. Taylor assembled the roster that finished best in the West, won the MGM Resorts NBA G League Winter Showcase Tournament in December and compiled a 14-game winning streak, tied for second-longest in a single season in league history.
“Martin and Bart have worked tirelessly, often behind the scenes and out of the spotlight, to do all they can to put the Jazz in a position to win thanks to their work with the Stars,” said Dennis Lindsey, executive vice president of basketball operations for the Utah Jazz, on the day the NBA G League announced the awards. “When we moved the team to Salt Lake City in 2016, we had a vision for how the Stars would fit in and play a critical role in our operations with the Jazz. Today’s recognitions are well-deserved and we’re proud to share in their celebrations.”
Rookie forward Jarrell Brantley, who was selected by the Jazz with the 50th overall selection in the 2019 NBA Draft, was recognized with All-NBA G League First Team and All-Rookie honors, becoming the first Stars player to earn First Team accolades since Niang in 2017-18. The two-way player, who split his time between the Jazz and Stars, led the G League club in scoring in 2019-20, averaging 18.8 points while shooting 51.2 percent from the floor in 33 games (all starts). He finished second in voting for the 2019-20 NBA G League Rookie of the Year Award.
For all the on-court success the Stars enjoyed this past season, the team also made a demonstrated impact off the court in the community. The Stars selected nonprofit organization Represent Justice as the beneficiary of $10,000 from the NBA G League to recognize the team’s top record in the West, and the organization raised thousands of dollars for local agencies through online auctions of signed items and memorabilia. The team hosted Autism Awareness Night presented by Vivint Gives Back on March 2 at Vivint Smart Home Arena, raising awareness and funds for Vivint Gives Back’s mission to help individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
Most recently, the team raised roughly $3,000 for the Racial Equity and Inclusion Fund, a priority initiative of the Multicultural Subcommittee of Utah’s COVID-19 Task Force and the Utah Division of Multicultural Affairs. The fund will provide critically needed financial assistance to nonprofit organizations supporting multicultural and underserved communities in Utah.
The 2019-20 season was officially canceled in June, so the Stars are turning their focus to the 2020-21 campaign – their fifth in Salt Lake City – to build on a solid foundation of growth and a strengthened relationship with the Jazz.
