Will Hardy Had Clear Message to Utah Jazz Amid NBA Gambling Headlines

Over the past few days of the NBA season, the league has been hit with some wild headlines in the form of a federal-level gambling scandal that's left Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier and Portland Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups at the center of national news and arrested amid ongoing investigations.

It's an event that's sent shockwaves around the league, considering it's got nationwide attention, and piles onto the lingering gambling concerns that the NBA has been faced with in recent years. A ton of prominent figures around the league have spoke on it, including Utah Jazz head coach Will Hardy.

Will Hardy Speaks on State of Gambling in the NBA

Apr 6, 2025; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Utah Jazz head coach Will Hardy on the sideline against the Atlanta Hawks in the second quarter at State Farm Arena. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

Hardy, a young coach who's in tune with his players on the roster, is well aware of the issues and concerns that gambling can cause around the league, which is why he and the rest of the Jazz staff have already made sure he and his players are equipped to take on those challenges they might be faced with on the subject.

"Education for our players is something that not only we're doing, but the league is doing," Hardy said on the subject of gambling. "They understand the rules. We do a presentation every preseason to the team that's very clear."

"Gambling is very close to the sport. It just is. If you sit close to the floor at any game, the last five minutes, there's a lot of people that are yelling at me, and the other coach, and everybody, about what they want to see at the end. Our job is to coach the game."

"It's a hard topic, because pretending like it's not there is being very naive. It's very, very present. But, again, our responsibility is to coach our team, and do our jobs, and not worry about any of that."

As gambling popularity has increased for the NBA in recent years, so have the issues surrounding the topic and how it impacts those on the floor––whether that be its legality, or even suffering from the barking of fans behind the bench on any given night clammoring about their parlay hitting.

Hardy though, is always one to put his players first, and by keeping his guys informed and in check to not fall into similar mistakes, they won't be the next ones to appear atop the league headlines like we saw earlier in the week.

It's a bit of a new and tricky road to navigate for all in the world of sports betting. Yet, for Hardy and his young squad, he's taking the proper measures to make sure his group is best equipped for not succumbing to any of the budding pressure.

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