December 3, 1994: University of Kansas center Greg Ostertag yells to his teammates during the Jayhawks’ 81-75 win over U-Mass at the John Wooden Classic. Credit: Al Bello/ALLSPORT
Greg Ostertag
Center, Kansas Jayhawks, 1995 (No. 28 overall)
What the heck?! Greg Ostertag? Really?!
Yes, really.
A little background — I’ve been updating this list for a couple of years now, incorporating new data and reevaluating as the Jazz make more draft picks. In turn, with each new version of the countdown, people are continually mystified by my inclusion of Ostertag as one of Utah’s best draft picks.
However, if you actually think about it, dismissing the fact that he was the prototypical big, goofy white guy (packed complete with a Fred Flintstone tattoo) who logged a record number of days in Jerry Sloan‘s doghouse, the reality is that getting a player like Ostertag this late in the draft is defying the odds in a major way.
‘Tag wasn’t just the starting center on the best teams in Jazz history; squads that pushed MJ and the Bulls to the brink in two NBA Finals. He was also one of the Association’s better inside defenders for a long time.
Even now, a decade and a half after he last played in the league, he remains in the top 50 all-time in blocks per game (1.7 BPG, 39th) and total blocks (1293, 48th).
In total, he averaged five points, five boards over 756 career games. Getting a player who enjoys a decade-long career and registers that level of production with a pick at the end of the first round (28th overall in 1995) is an epic draft win.
5 Utah Jazz players make ESPN’s Top 100 for 2023-2024
</a>
<li>
<a href=https://thejnotes.com/2019/06/14/utah-jazz-counting-top-15-draft-picks/3/"https://thejnotes.com/2023/10/11/john-collins-believes-the-utah-jazz-are-on-the-verge-of-something-great/">
John Collins believes the Utah Jazz are on the verge of something great
</a>
<li>
<a href=https://thejnotes.com/2019/06/14/utah-jazz-counting-top-15-draft-picks/3/"https://thejnotes.com/2023/10/11/former-utah-jazz-player-dante-exum-is-looking-like-the-player-they-hoped-he-would-be/">
Former Utah Jazz player, Dante Exum, is looking like the player they hoped he would be
</a>
<li>
<a href=https://thejnotes.com/2019/06/14/utah-jazz-counting-top-15-draft-picks/3/"https://thejnotes.com/2023/10/11/kelly-olynyk-could-be-a-realistic-sixth-man-of-the-year-for-the-utah-jazz/">
Kelly Olynyk could be a realistic Sixth Man of the Year for the Utah Jazz
</a>
<li>
<a href=https://thejnotes.com/2019/06/14/utah-jazz-counting-top-15-draft-picks/3/"https://thejnotes.com/2023/10/11/its-only-preseason-but-the-utah-jazz-could-use-a-stable-point-guard/">
It’s only preseason but the Utah Jazz could use a stable point guard
</a>
</ul>
</div>
<p>But that comes as no surprise; Malone was a two-time NBA MVP and arguably the best power forward in league history.</p>
<p>For a frame of reference, the three players taken immediately before Malone were <a href=https://thejnotes.com/2019/06/14/utah-jazz-counting-top-15-draft-picks/3/"https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/p/pincked01.html?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-%22 target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener" ref="nofollow">Ed Pinckney</a>, <a href=https://thejnotes.com/2019/06/14/utah-jazz-counting-top-15-draft-picks/3/"https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/l/leeke01.html?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-%22 target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener" ref="nofollow">Keith Lee</a>, and <a href=https://thejnotes.com/2019/06/14/utah-jazz-counting-top-15-draft-picks/3/"https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/g/greenke02.html?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-%22 target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener" ref="nofollow">Kenny Green</a>.</p>
<p>That’s one career role-player and two guys who were quickly out of the league if you’re keeping score at home.</p>
<p>It goes to show how unlikely it is to win big in the NBA Draft and Malone ranks among the biggest wins of all time.</p>
<p>As with Basketball John, I won’t keep you here reading his entire list of basketball accomplishments, but here are some of the most notable —</p>
<ul>
<li>NBA Most Valuable Player in ’97 and ’99</li>
<li>14-time NBA All-Star and ASG MVP in ’89 and ’93</li>
<li>11-time All-NBA First Team selection</li>
<li>Two-time All-NBA second-team selection</li>
<li>All-NBA third team in ’01</li>
<li>Three-time All-Defensive First Team selection</li>
<li>Two-time Olympic gold medalist</li>
<li>No. 2 scorer in NBA history</li>
</ul>
<div class="fs-shortcode" data-type="StoryLink" data-theme="dark" data-text="10 most golden moments in Utah Jazz history" data-url="https://thejnotes.com/2020/02/09/utah-jazz-golden-franchise-moments/" data-call-to-action="Next"
> <div class="story-link-next"> <a class="story-link-next-btn" style="background: #00265D" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="story-link-next-shortcode" href=https://thejnotes.com/2019/06/14/utah-jazz-counting-top-15-draft-picks/3/"https://thejnotes.com/2020/02/09/utah-jazz-golden-franchise-moments/"> <span class="call_to_action">Next:</span> 10 most golden moments in Utah Jazz history </a> </div>
</div>
<p>In just under 1,500 career games, Malone averaged 25 points, 10 rebounds, four assists, and 1.4 steals per contest. Wow.</p><!—pageview_candidate—>">