Utah Jazz assistant coach Sidney Lowe arrested for allegedly not paying N.C. income tax

SALT LAKE CITY — Utah Jazz assistant coach Sidney Lowe was arrested Monday morning for allegedly failing to pay North Carolina state income taxes for three years.

The 53-year-old Lowe, North Carolina State's head coach from 2006-11, had three misdemeanor counts filed against him by the North Carolina Department of Revenue for failing to file income taxes from 2009-11.

Lowe's arrest was confirmed to the Deseret News by Capt. Jimmy Stevens of the Wake County Sheriff's Office.

Lowe was placed under a $10,000 bond and has a court appearance for March 19, according to WRALSportsFan.com.

On Monday morning, Jazz spokeswoman Linda Luchetti said the organization was made aware of Lowe's situation through media reports. Luchetti, the executive vice president of communications for the Larry H. Miller Group of Companies, said the Jazz are "looking into it" but had "no official response at this time."

Later Monday, Jazz PR director Jonathan Rinehart said the organization does not plan to make an official statement.

"It's a personal matter," Rinehart said.

Lowe did not attend Monday's practice, but coach Tyrone Corbin said his assistant is expected to rejoin the Jazz on Tuesday. Utah hosts Golden State in its first game back from the All-Star break on Tuesday night.

"We'll deal with it and he'll make a statement at some point, but it's a personal matter," Corbin said. "Things happen, and you deal with it."

Corbin and his players downplayed the impact that Lowe's legal issues will have on the team, which won two straight going into All-Star weekend.

"It's a personal matter with him. Coach is a great guy, man," said Jazz center Al Jefferson, who was informed about Lowe's predicament before Monday night's practice.

"I really don't know the story about it ... but I'm pretty sure it was something he's aware of and he's going to take care of it," Jefferson added. "It's a personal matter with him and we'll leave it at that. It's not going to affect the team."

Forward Paul Millsap echoed Big Al's sentiments.

"It's a tough situation. It was personal reasons," Millsap said.

Asked if it'd be a distraction, the Jazz player added, "Not at all. It doesn't affect us at all."

Lowe reportedly made a base salary of $210,000 per year at North Carolina State, but TV and radio commitments boosted that to $760,000 annually. Bonuses and endorsements could've pushed his salary to $900,000. A contract settlement after Lowe's 2011 resignation was believed to be in the $900,000 range.

Lowe ignored a TV reporter's request for comment as he walked out of his Wake Forest home and entered an airport taxi, the Associated Press reported.

Lowe has been the lead assistant under Corbin, a former teammate, since 2011. He has also had two head-coaching stints in the NBA, going a combined 79-228 with Minnesota and Memphis.

CONTRIBUTING: Associated Press

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