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Utah Jazz History, News and Photos
The Utah Jazz is a professional basketball team based in Salt Lake City, Utah.
The Jazz are one of the five teams in the Northwest Division of the
Western Conference in the National Basketball Association (NBA).
The team was originally the New Orleans Jazz but was financially unsuccessful
and moved to Utah replacing the void left by the Utah Stars of the defunct American Basketball Association (ABA).
The Jazz was one of the most successful teams in the late 1980s and 1990s, making
it to two NBA Finals in 1997 and 1998 under coach Jerry Sloan and anchored by John Stockton and Karl Malone,
a point guard/power forward combination noted for its remarkable on-court rapport.
Malone and Stockton were often seen as two of the best players at their respective positions.
Besides John Stockton and Karl Malone,
The Utah Jazz have had other super star players that spent most of their careers with the team.
Utah obtained high scoring guard/forward Adrian Dantley from the Los Angeles Lakers.
Maravich was waived during the season. With the #2 draft pick in 1980,
they obtained Darrell Griffith from the University of Louisville. During the 1980-1981 season,
Frank Layden became the head coach, and in 1982, the Jazz selected big man Mark Eaton in the fourth round of the draft.
These four additions to the team would serve to set the seeds for the future success for the team.
During the 1993-1994 season, the Jazz aquired shooting guard Jeff Hornacek, who provided
outstanding three-point and free throw shot percentage. In the 2001-2002 season,
future superstar Andrei Kirilenko made his rookie debut.
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The Jazz have retired the following jersey numbers:
1 Frank Layden
Jazz head coach from 1981-1987, lead the Jazz to their first playoffs in 1983,
and their first division title the same year.
Was an intergal part of the team until his departure in 1999.
4 Adrian Dantley
Dantley was acquired by the Jazz from the Lakers in 1979 after they relocated to Salt Lake City.
Dantley would go on to lead the Jazz in scoring in all seven of his seasons in Utah, including
leading the lead in scoring. Dantley was the star of the first Jazz team to ever make the playoffs in 1984.
7 Pete Maravich
Teams first superstar, lead team in Scoring in the late 70s, one of the 50 greatest players to ever play the game
12 John Stockton
Drafted by the Jazz in 1984, played his entire 19 year carrer with the Jazz,
which ended in 2003. NBA alltime leader in Steals, and assist, 10 time allstar,
allstar MVP in 1993 in Salt Lake City. one of the 50 greatest players in NBA history.
Made the most important shot in Jazz history, sending the Jazz to their first NBA finals in 1997.
14 Jeff Hornacek
Acquired by the Jazz from the Philadelphia 76ers in febuary of 1994,
finished his carrer with the Jazz which ended in 2000. part of the Trio,
including Stockton and Karl Malone who lead the Jazz to two western conferance titles in 97, and 98.
32 Karl Malone
Malone was the 13th pick in the 1985 draft by the Jazz. Malone lead the Jazz in scoring
during 18 of his 19 years with the Jazz. he was also a two time MVP,
13 time all-star, the teams all time leading scorer(second all time in the NBA).
Malone, along with Stockton and Hornacek, lead the Jazz to the NBA in 1997, and 1998.
35 Darrel Griffith
Selected by the Jazz with the #2 overall pick in 1981, was named NBA rookie of the year that same year.
53 Mark Eaton
4th round pick of the Jazz, one time allstar, lead league in blocks 5 times, 2 time Defensive player of the year award.
