The Gary Briggs Memorial Fund

The Gary Briggs Memorial Fund

The Utah Jazz, the NBA athletic training community, and the University of Utah Health mourn the passing of Gary Briggs, a highly respected athletic trainer whose distinguished career spanned more than four decades across professional, collegiate, and high school athletics. Briggs served 15 seasons as head athletic trainer for the Utah Jazz, following 18 seasons with the Cleveland Cavaliers, and appeared in 3,013 of a possible 3,014 games. Widely regarded as one of the premier athletic trainers in the NBA, he was known for his professionalism, expertise, leadership, and unwavering commitment to athlete health and well-being.

Throughout his career, Briggs earned numerous honors, including being named NBA Athletic Trainer of the Year in 1999 and serving as Chairman of the National Basketball Athletic Trainers Association. He was inducted into the Ohio Athletic Trainers’ Association Hall of Fame in 2001 and selected to serve at multiple NBA All-Star Games. A native of Long Beach, California, Briggs was certified by the National Athletic Trainers’ Association in 1978 and built a career defined by service, integrity, and care for others. He is survived by his wife, Sue; daughters Ashley and Courtney; sons-in-law Adrian and Lambert; and three grandchildren.

To honor Gary’s remarkable legacy, the University of Utah is establishing The Gary Briggs Memorial Fund, dedicated to supporting nephrology and kidney patients within U of U Health. The goal of the fund is to create an endowed resource that will sustain patient support services and comfort funds in perpetuity.

Your generosity honors Gary’s life and ensures that patients facing kidney disease experience the same compassion, excellence, and dignity that he exemplified throughout his career. Together, we can make a lasting difference for nephrology and kidney patients across the U of U Health system.

If the endowment goal is not reached, all contributions will be used to support nephrology and kidney patients within U of U Health. The minimum required amount for the Gary Briggs Memorial Endowment is $25,000. The minimum gift threshold must be reached by Jan. 29th, 2028.