Utah Jazz: The 50 greatest players in franchise history
by Matt Giles
1975-76 New Orleans Jazz (Photo by Ross Lewis/Getty Images).
All-time greatest Utah Jazz players: No. 48 Otto Moore (New Orleans)
- Seasons with the franchise: Three (1974-75 to 1976-77)
- Regular-season games played: 202
- Averages as a Jazzman: 7.4 points, 8.7 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 0.8 steals, 1.4 blocks
- Shooting percentages: 42.9 from the field, 65.6 from the foul line
- Playoff games with New Orleans: None
Say No Moore.
Sticking with the theme of original Jazzmen, following six seasons in the league as a journeyman, Otto Moore was the first to effectively man the new franchise’s paint area. The 6-foot-11 center did so in New Orleans during the first three years of the team’s existence before playing professionally in Italy.
At the time, Moore was a rebounding machine in his late 20s.
And while he was far from the No. 1 scoring option on those early squads, he was arguably the most well-rounded player in the Bayou at the time. Of course, it doesn’t help his cause here that the Jazz never won more than 38 games in those first three years.
The J-Notes</em></a> in the future. In fact, the plan is for the list to receive necessary tweaks after each season for all of eternity.</p>
<p>Now, before counting down from No. 50 until we reach the supreme Jazzman, let’s briefly outline the criteria for each name’s inclusion and order of appearance:</p>
<ul>
<li>To begin with, any personal feats that occurred elsewhere will not factor into the equation. Not one iota. No, this is all about what guys did while <a href=https://thejnotes.com/2021/04/15/utah-jazz-50-greatest-players-history/3/"https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/UTA/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" ref="nofollow">with the Jazz</a>, including the early years when the team called New Orleans home.</li>
<li>And all the listed stats reflect only regular-season boxscores. Yet make no mistake, for playoff performances matter. Keeping that in mind, we shall be sure to weigh the individuals’ postseason brilliance, or lack thereof, as well as the franchise’s most notable accomplishments during their respective tenures.</li>
<li>Concerning time, a fella’s total number of years in Salt Lake City — or, of course, <a href=https://thejnotes.com/2021/04/15/utah-jazz-50-greatest-players-history/3/"https://www.nba.com/jazz/history/feature?url=/jazz/i-didnt-think-we-would-make-it-oral-history-first-season-utah-jazz%22 target="_blank" rel="noopener">back in the Bayou era</a> from 1974-75 through the 1978-79 campaign — most certainly warrants significant consideration here. On the other hand, in fairness to any active Utah gems, they won’t get hit with a drastic penalty in this department.</li>
<li>Finally, the players’ likability, toughness, perseverance, and various other incalculable intangibles will essentially serve as tiebreakers along the way.</li>
</ul>
<p>OK, without further ado, away we go…</p>
<h2>All-time greatest Utah Jazz players: No. 50 Terry Furlow</h2>
<ul>
<li>Seasons with the franchise: One (1979-80)</li>
<li>Regular-season games played: 55</li>
<li>Averages as a Jazzman: 16.0 points, 2.8 rebounds, 4.0 assists, 1.0 steals, 0.3 blocks</li>
<li>Shooting percentages: 47.6 from the field, 31.5 from three, 87.6 from the foul line</li>
<li>Playoff games with Utah: None</li>
</ul>
<p>Perhaps Terry Furlow should rank a smidge higher than No. 50. Or some might say the 6-foot-4 shooting guard’s total production in only a chunk of one season — for a 24-58 Utah Jazz bunch, mind you — isn’t enough to warrant his name on this list (he is the only player here who spent fewer than two seasons with the Jazz).</p>
<p>But given the unique circumstances of his stint in Utah, it does seem fitting to go ahead and recognize him here at the get-go. Because on May 23, 1980, at age 25 and less than two months removed from his lone campaign with the Jazz, Furlow died in a car accident.</p>
<p>Tragically, basketball fans will never know what could’ve been…</p>
<div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background: #00265D" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://thejnotes.com/2021/04/15/utah-jazz-50-greatest-players-history/3/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> 49. EC Coleman </a>
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<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-83621" src=https://thejnotes.com/2021/04/15/utah-jazz-50-greatest-players-history/3/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_2160,w_3200/https%3A%2F%2Fthejnotes.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2017%2F07%2F1003272782.jpeg" alt="Utah Jazz" width="3200" height="2160" srcset="https://thejnotes.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2017/07/1003272782.jpeg 3200w, https://thejnotes.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2017/07/1003272782-768x518.jpeg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 3200px) 100vw, 3200px"><p class="wp-caption-text">New Orleans Jazz forward EC Coleman (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images)</p>
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<h2>All-time greatest Utah Jazz players: No. 49 EC Coleman (New Orleans)</h2>
<ul>
<li>Seasons with the franchise: Three (1974-75 to 1976-77)</li>
<li>Regular-season games played: 221</li>
<li>Averages as a Jazzman: 8.0 points, 6.9 rebounds, 1.3 assists, 0.9 steals, 0.4 blocks</li>
<li>Shooting percentages: 45.3 from the field, 70.0 from the foul line</li>
<li>Playoff games with New Orleans: None</li>
</ul>
<p>EC Coleman played on the first three teams of the Jazz’s existence. And even though the 6-foot-8 power forward wasn’t a flashy playmaker or consistent bucket-getter, there is no doubt his defensive prowess was of the top-shelf variety.</p>
<p>An All-Defensive First Team selection at age 25 in his final season with the franchise, Coleman was both a strong rebounder and lockdown defender.</p>
<p>However, as detailed in regards to this next player on the list, those early New Orleans squads were never close to being an NBA power back in those days. So assuming there are plenty more Jazz sensations to come in the future, his contributions for a non-contender might not equate to his appearance on this list much longer.</p>
<div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background: #00265D" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://thejnotes.com/2021/04/15/utah-jazz-50-greatest-players-history/3/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> 48. Otto Moore </a>
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<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-83623" src=https://thejnotes.com/2021/04/15/utah-jazz-50-greatest-players-history/3/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_2033,w_3200/https%3A%2F%2Fthejnotes.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2017%2F07%2F1214997065.jpeg" alt="Utah Jazz" width="3200" height="2033" srcset="https://thejnotes.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2017/07/1214997065.jpeg 3200w, https://thejnotes.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2017/07/1214997065-768x488.jpeg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 3200px) 100vw, 3200px"><p class="wp-caption-text">1975-76 New Orleans Jazz (Photo by Ross Lewis/Getty Images).</p>
</div>
<h2>All-time greatest Utah Jazz players: No. 48 Otto Moore (New Orleans)</h2>
<ul>
<li>Seasons with the franchise: Three (1974-75 to 1976-77)</li>
<li>Regular-season games played: 202</li>
<li>Averages as a Jazzman: 7.4 points, 8.7 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 0.8 steals, 1.4 blocks</li>
<li>Shooting percentages: 42.9 from the field, 65.6 from the foul line</li>
<li>Playoff games with New Orleans: None</li>
</ul>
<p>Say No Moore.</p>
<p>Sticking with the theme of original Jazzmen, following six seasons in the league as a journeyman, Otto Moore was the first to effectively man the new franchise’s paint area. The 6-foot-11 center did so in New Orleans during the first three years of the team’s existence before playing professionally in Italy.</p>
<p>At the time, Moore was a rebounding machine in his late 20s.</p>
<p>And while he was far from the No. 1 scoring option on those early squads, he was arguably the most well-rounded player in the Bayou at the time. Of course, it doesn’t help his cause here that the Jazz never won more than 38 games in those first three years.</p>
<div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background: #00265D" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://thejnotes.com/2021/04/15/utah-jazz-50-greatest-players-history/3/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> 47. Felton Spencer </a>
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<h2>All-time greatest Utah Jazz players: No. 47 Felton Spencer</h2>
<ul>
<li>Seasons with the franchise: Three (1993-94 to 1995-96)</li>
<li>Regular-season games played: 184</li>
<li>Averages as a Jazzman: 7.6 points, 6.7 rebounds, 0.4 assists, 0.4 steals, 0.8 blocks</li>
<li>Shooting percentages: 50.5 from the field, 67.5 from the foul line</li>
<li>Playoff games with Utah: 34</li>
<li>Postseason averages: 5.2 points, 5.6 rebounds, 0.3 assists, 0.2 steals, 1.2 blocks</li>
</ul>
<p>Chief.</p>
<p>Outside of the considerable time spent on the sideline due to injuries, Felton Spencer was the full-time starter at the five-spot across his three seasons with the Utah Jazz. And those three teams each won at least 53 games in the regular season.</p>
<p>Furthermore, it’s worth noting here that those three campaigns coincided with Spencer’s prime as a professional and were a build-up to the franchise reigning supreme in the Western Conference.</p>
<p>That said, given Spencer’s utter size and the countless double-teams that Karl Malone’s presence demanded back in those days from Jazz opponents, it seems that the 7-foot, 265-pounder could have offered a tad more in terms of intimidating opponents on either end of the floor.</p>
<div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background: #00265D" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://thejnotes.com/2021/04/15/utah-jazz-50-greatest-players-history/3/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> 46. Antoine Carr </a>
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<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-83624" src=https://thejnotes.com/2021/04/15/utah-jazz-50-greatest-players-history/3/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_1067,w_1600/https%3A%2F%2Fthejnotes.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2017%2F07%2F242235.jpeg" alt="Utah Jazz" width="1600" height="1067" srcset="https://thejnotes.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2017/07/242235.jpeg 1600w, https://thejnotes.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2017/07/242235-768x512.jpeg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px"><p class="wp-caption-text">Utah Jazz forward Antoine Carr (Brian Bahr /Allsport)</p>
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<h2>All-time greatest Utah Jazz players: No. 46 Antoine Carr</h2>
<ul>
<li>Seasons with the franchise: Four (1994-95 to 1997-98)</li>
<li>Regular-season games played: 306</li>
<li>Averages as a Jazzman: 7.5 points, 2.6 rebounds, 0.9 assists, 0.3 steals, 0.8 blocks</li>
<li>Shooting percentages: 48.7 from the field, 10.0 from three, 79.6 from the foul line</li>
<li>Playoff games with Utah: 63</li>
<li>Postseason averages: 5.4 points, 2.1 rebounds, 0.8 assists, 0.2 steals, 0.6 blocks</li>
</ul>
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<p>Although Antoine Carr spent only four seasons with the Utah Jazz and started only 12 games in that entire span, the 6-foot-9 veteran down low provided a little bit of everything off the bench across what still stands as the best four-year stretch in franchise history.</p>
<p>Two NBA Finals appearances. An average of more than 60 wins per season.</p>
<p>Plus, take into consideration the fact Carr was generally seen as a fan favorite and that his exit to the Houston Rockets at age 36 just so happened to mark the start of Utah’s gradual decline from being a legit perennial title threat.</p>
<div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background: #00265D" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://thejnotes.com/2021/04/15/utah-jazz-50-greatest-players-history/3/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> 45. Ben Poquette </a>
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<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-83625" src=https://thejnotes.com/2021/04/15/utah-jazz-50-greatest-players-history/3/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_2114,w_3200/https%3A%2F%2Fthejnotes.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2017%2F07%2F1058982496.jpeg" alt="Utah Jazz" width="3200" height="2114" srcset="https://thejnotes.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2017/07/1058982496.jpeg 3200w, https://thejnotes.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2017/07/1058982496-768x507.jpeg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 3200px) 100vw, 3200px"><p class="wp-caption-text">Utah Jazz (Photo by Gene Sweeney Jr./Getty Images)</p>
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<h2>All-time greatest Utah Jazz players: No. 45 Ben Poquette</h2>
<ul>
<li>Seasons with the franchise: Four (1979-80 to 1982-83)</li>
<li>Regular-season games played: 321</li>
<li>Averages as a Jazzman: 9.0 points, 6.6 rebounds, 1.7 assists, 0.7 steals, 1.6 blocks</li>
<li>Shooting percentages: 50.7 from the field, 30.4 from three, 78.8 from the foul line</li>
<li>Playoff games with Utah: None</li>
</ul>
<p>Gentle Ben.</p>
<p>A former second-round pick out of Central Michigan by the Detroit Pistons back in 1977, Ben Poquette arrived for the Jazz’s first season in Utah a few years later and then saw his four best seasons as a pro with the franchise.</p>
<p>The 6-foot-9 forward twice finished among the top 10 in the NBA in blocked shots per game (1979-80 and 1980-81).</p>
<p>However, despite also reaching 11.0 points per game across his final season in Salt Lake City and serving as a durable defensive specialist in the paint in each of his Jazz campaigns, none of the Utah teams he played for reached the playoffs. Therefore, Poquette’s limit here is No. 45.</p>
<div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background: #00265D" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://thejnotes.com/2021/04/15/utah-jazz-50-greatest-players-history/3/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> 44. Jordan Clarkson </a>
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3 MVP traits of Donovan Mitchell since All-Star break</a></p>
<p>Plus, Mitchell has finished among the league’s top 20 scorers in each of his four seasons since coming off the board No. 13 overall at the 2017 NBA Draft.</p>
<p>Currently, as the Utah Jazz reign in the Western Conference standings, Mitchell ranks No. 9 in the NBA at 26.5 points per game. With explosive drives, unguardable jukes, top-shelf hang time, and creative finishes, the Louisville basketball product is inching closer and closer to the MVP conversation.</p>
<p>And that honor plus a title ring would surely bump the New York product to at least No. 3 here…</p>
<div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background: #00265D" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://thejnotes.com/2021/04/15/utah-jazz-50-greatest-players-history/3/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> 4. Rudy Gobert </a>
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2 players threatening Rudy Gobert in DPOY race</a></p>
<p>However, given the long-limbed Frenchman’s persistent limitations on the offensive end of the floor from one year to the next in addition to the offensive prowess of his teammate from the previous slide here, Gobert is in danger of soon falling a spot on this list.</p>
<p>That said, given the Jazz’s league-leading record this season, Rudy Gobert and Donovan Mitchell both could soon pass this next star from the early 1980s…</p>
<div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background: #00265D" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://thejnotes.com/2021/04/15/utah-jazz-50-greatest-players-history/3/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> 3. Adrian Dantley </a>
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<h2>All-time greatest Utah Jazz players: No. 3 Adrian Dantley</h2>
<ul>
<li>Seasons with the franchise: Seven (1979-80 to 1985-86)</li>
<li>Regular-season games played: 461</li>
<li>Averages as a Jazzman: 29.6 points, 6.2 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 1.1 steals, 0.1 blocks</li>
<li>Shooting percentages: 56.2 from the field, 18.5 from three, 81.8 from the foul line</li>
<li>Playoff games with Utah: 21</li>
<li>Postseason averages: 28.9 points, 7.5 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 1.2 steals, 0.0 blocks</li>
</ul>
<p>The Teacher.</p>
<p>Hall of Famer Adrian Dantley was a journeyman after going No. 6 overall at the 1976 NBA Draft. Yet his prime years came in Salt Lake City following his trade from the Los Angeles Lakers in 1979.</p>
<p>Coinciding with the early years of the next two guys on this list, the 6-foot-5 forward became one of the first well-known faces for the Utah Jazz before his trade to the Detroit Pistons in 1986. While not exactly a lockdown defender, Dantley was a six-time All-Star nonetheless and led the league in scoring twice: 1980-81 and 1983-84.</p>
<p>Now, Dantley continues to stand as the only Jazzman in history to average more than 30 points per game in four different seasons; obviously, Donovan Mitchell is likely the only present-day Utah player with any chance to someday match that feat.</p>
<div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background: #00265D" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://thejnotes.com/2021/04/15/utah-jazz-50-greatest-players-history/3/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> 2. Karl Malone </a>
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<h2>All-time greatest Utah Jazz players: No. 2 Karl Malone</h2>
<ul>
<li>Seasons with the franchise: 18 (1985-86 to 2002-03)</li>
<li>Regular-season games played: 1,434</li>
<li>Averages as a Jazzman: 25.4 points, 10.2 rebounds, 3.6 assists, 1.4 steals, 0.8 blocks</li>
<li>Shooting percentages: 51.7 from the field, 27.5 from three, 74.2 from the foul line</li>
<li>Playoff games with Utah: 172</li>
<li>Postseason averages: 26.3 points, 10.9 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 1.4 steals, 0.8 blocks</li>
</ul>
<p>The Mailman.</p>
<p>A two-time league MVP and durable 14-time All-NBA force, the former No. 13 overall selection from 1985 played his first 18 pro seasons with the Utah Jazz before spending the 2003-04 campaign with the Los Angeles Lakers leading up to his retirement.</p>
<p><a href=https://thejnotes.com/2021/04/15/utah-jazz-50-greatest-players-history/3/"https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/m/malonka01.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener" ref="nofollow">Karl Malone</a>, a 2010 Hall of Fame inductee, finished at and remains No. 2 in NBA history with his 36,928 points. He also ranks No. 7 all-time with his 14,968 career rebounds and No. 11 with his 2,085 career steals.</p>
<p>And again, as alluded to at the beginning of this list of all-time Utah Jazz players, since Malone’s battle for the top spot here with John Stockton was essentially a tie, it all came down to the intangibles department in the end…</p>
<div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background: #00265D" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://thejnotes.com/2021/04/15/utah-jazz-50-greatest-players-history/3/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> 1. John Stockton </a>
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<h2>All-time greatest Utah Jazz players: No. 1 John Stockton</h2>
<ul>
<li>Seasons with the franchise: 19 (1984-85 to 2002-03)</li>
<li>Regular-season games played: 1,504</li>
<li>Averages as a Jazzman: 13.1 points, 2.7 rebounds, 10.5 assists, 2.2 steals, 0.2 blocks</li>
<li>Shooting percentages: 51.5 from the field, 38.4 from three, 82.6 from the foul line</li>
<li>Playoff games with Utah: 182</li>
<li>Postseason averages: 13.4 points, 3.3 rebounds, 10.1 assists, 1.9 steals, 0.3 blocks</li>
</ul>
<p>Stock.</p>
<p>Don’t undervalue him or the significance of an assist. Make that 15,806 of them — in the regular season alone — from the hands of <a href=https://thejnotes.com/2021/04/15/utah-jazz-50-greatest-players-history/3/"https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/s/stockjo01.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener" ref="nofollow">John Stockton</a>. Spanning a brilliantly consistent 19-year NBA career, he dished out nearly 4,000 more dimes than anyone else in league history.</p><div class="widget fs_ads"> <div class="fs_ad_widget-ad" style="margin:0 auto; width: 300px;"> <div class="fs-ll-ad" data-ad-type="minutemedia_slideshow_inline_300x250__desktop__tablet" data-vendor="minutemedia">
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<p>Also putting today’s game to shame, the 2009 Hall of Fame inductee appeared in all 82 regular-season games <em>16 times</em>.</p>
<p>The 6-foot-1 point guard first arrived in Salt Lake City via the No. 16 overall selection at the 1984 NBA Draft. He then never abandoned the franchise that picked him, becoming a 10-time All-Star and taking home All-Star Game co-MVP honors with Karl Marlone in 1993.</p>
<p>True, unlike his longtime teammate, Stockton never snagged any NBA MVP hardware despite Utah’s winning ways in its glory days. Of course, had Stockton not been on those squads, the general assumption is there’s no way Malone would have either.</p>
<p>In some eyes, even 18 years after his retirement, Stockton’s highlights still exemplify a “pure point guard” better than those of anyone anywhere who balled before or after his most memorable tenure with the Jazz.</p>
<p>Yes, via his smooth style as an exemplary leader while also serving as the band’s snazzy flow-producer with his keen feel and deft hand, Stockton’s on-court music will forever echo in Utah with his name synonymous to “Jazz” and its dictionary definition: “collective improvisation.”</p>
<div class="fs-shortcode" data-type="StoryLink" data-theme="dark" data-text="15 best Jazz draft picks of all time" data-url="https://thejnotes.com/2019/06/14/utah-jazz-counting-top-15-draft-picks/" data-call-to-action="Next"
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<p>John Stockton <em>is indeed</em> the most important and all-around greatest Jazzman. Ever. For Now.</p><!—pageview_candidate—></p>">
3 MVP traits of Donovan Mitchell since All-Star break</a></p>
<p>Plus, Mitchell has finished among the league’s top 20 scorers in each of his four seasons since coming off the board No. 13 overall at the 2017 NBA Draft.</p>
<p>Currently, as the Utah Jazz reign in the Western Conference standings, Mitchell ranks No. 9 in the NBA at 26.5 points per game. With explosive drives, unguardable jukes, top-shelf hang time, and creative finishes, the Louisville basketball product is inching closer and closer to the MVP conversation.</p>
<p>And that honor plus a title ring would surely bump the New York product to at least No. 3 here…</p>
<div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background: #00265D" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://thejnotes.com/2021/04/15/utah-jazz-50-greatest-players-history/3/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> 4. Rudy Gobert </a>
</div><!—pageview_candidate—><hr id="pagebreak"><div id="attachment_83627" class="wp-caption alignnone">
<a href=https://thejnotes.com/2021/04/15/utah-jazz-50-greatest-players-history/3/"https://thejnotes.com/wp-content/uploads/imagn-images/2017/07/15892044.jpeg">2 players threatening Rudy Gobert in DPOY race</a></p>
<p>However, given the long-limbed Frenchman’s persistent limitations on the offensive end of the floor from one year to the next in addition to the offensive prowess of his teammate from the previous slide here, Gobert is in danger of soon falling a spot on this list.</p>
<p>That said, given the Jazz’s league-leading record this season, Rudy Gobert and Donovan Mitchell both could soon pass this next star from the early 1980s…</p>
<div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background: #00265D" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://thejnotes.com/2021/04/15/utah-jazz-50-greatest-players-history/3/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> 3. Adrian Dantley </a>
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<h2>All-time greatest Utah Jazz players: No. 3 Adrian Dantley</h2>
<ul>
<li>Seasons with the franchise: Seven (1979-80 to 1985-86)</li>
<li>Regular-season games played: 461</li>
<li>Averages as a Jazzman: 29.6 points, 6.2 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 1.1 steals, 0.1 blocks</li>
<li>Shooting percentages: 56.2 from the field, 18.5 from three, 81.8 from the foul line</li>
<li>Playoff games with Utah: 21</li>
<li>Postseason averages: 28.9 points, 7.5 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 1.2 steals, 0.0 blocks</li>
</ul>
<p>The Teacher.</p>
<p>Hall of Famer Adrian Dantley was a journeyman after going No. 6 overall at the 1976 NBA Draft. Yet his prime years came in Salt Lake City following his trade from the Los Angeles Lakers in 1979.</p>
<p>Coinciding with the early years of the next two guys on this list, the 6-foot-5 forward became one of the first well-known faces for the Utah Jazz before his trade to the Detroit Pistons in 1986. While not exactly a lockdown defender, Dantley was a six-time All-Star nonetheless and led the league in scoring twice: 1980-81 and 1983-84.</p>
<p>Now, Dantley continues to stand as the only Jazzman in history to average more than 30 points per game in four different seasons; obviously, Donovan Mitchell is likely the only present-day Utah player with any chance to someday match that feat.</p>
<div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background: #00265D" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://thejnotes.com/2021/04/15/utah-jazz-50-greatest-players-history/3/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> 2. Karl Malone </a>
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<h2>All-time greatest Utah Jazz players: No. 2 Karl Malone</h2>
<ul>
<li>Seasons with the franchise: 18 (1985-86 to 2002-03)</li>
<li>Regular-season games played: 1,434</li>
<li>Averages as a Jazzman: 25.4 points, 10.2 rebounds, 3.6 assists, 1.4 steals, 0.8 blocks</li>
<li>Shooting percentages: 51.7 from the field, 27.5 from three, 74.2 from the foul line</li>
<li>Playoff games with Utah: 172</li>
<li>Postseason averages: 26.3 points, 10.9 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 1.4 steals, 0.8 blocks</li>
</ul>
<p>The Mailman.</p>
<p>A two-time league MVP and durable 14-time All-NBA force, the former No. 13 overall selection from 1985 played his first 18 pro seasons with the Utah Jazz before spending the 2003-04 campaign with the Los Angeles Lakers leading up to his retirement.</p>
<p><a href=https://thejnotes.com/2021/04/15/utah-jazz-50-greatest-players-history/3/"https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/m/malonka01.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener" ref="nofollow">Karl Malone</a>, a 2010 Hall of Fame inductee, finished at and remains No. 2 in NBA history with his 36,928 points. He also ranks No. 7 all-time with his 14,968 career rebounds and No. 11 with his 2,085 career steals.</p>
<p>And again, as alluded to at the beginning of this list of all-time Utah Jazz players, since Malone’s battle for the top spot here with John Stockton was essentially a tie, it all came down to the intangibles department in the end…</p>
<div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background: #00265D" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://thejnotes.com/2021/04/15/utah-jazz-50-greatest-players-history/3/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> 1. John Stockton </a>
</div><!—pageview_candidate—><hr id="pagebreak"><div class="embed embed-video"><iframe loading="lazy" width="500" height="281" src=https://thejnotes.com/2021/04/15/utah-jazz-50-greatest-players-history/3/"https://www.youtube.com/embed/myMvojT6zIc?feature=oembed%22 frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>
<h2>All-time greatest Utah Jazz players: No. 1 John Stockton</h2>
<ul>
<li>Seasons with the franchise: 19 (1984-85 to 2002-03)</li>
<li>Regular-season games played: 1,504</li>
<li>Averages as a Jazzman: 13.1 points, 2.7 rebounds, 10.5 assists, 2.2 steals, 0.2 blocks</li>
<li>Shooting percentages: 51.5 from the field, 38.4 from three, 82.6 from the foul line</li>
<li>Playoff games with Utah: 182</li>
<li>Postseason averages: 13.4 points, 3.3 rebounds, 10.1 assists, 1.9 steals, 0.3 blocks</li>
</ul>
<p>Stock.</p>
<p>Don’t undervalue him or the significance of an assist. Make that 15,806 of them — in the regular season alone — from the hands of <a href=https://thejnotes.com/2021/04/15/utah-jazz-50-greatest-players-history/3/"https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/s/stockjo01.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener" ref="nofollow">John Stockton</a>. Spanning a brilliantly consistent 19-year NBA career, he dished out nearly 4,000 more dimes than anyone else in league history.</p><div class="widget fs_ads"> <div class="fs_ad_widget-ad" style="margin:0 auto; width: 300px;"> <div class="fs-ll-ad" data-ad-type="minutemedia_slideshow_inline_300x250__desktop__tablet" data-vendor="minutemedia">
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<p>Also putting today’s game to shame, the 2009 Hall of Fame inductee appeared in all 82 regular-season games <em>16 times</em>.</p>
<p>The 6-foot-1 point guard first arrived in Salt Lake City via the No. 16 overall selection at the 1984 NBA Draft. He then never abandoned the franchise that picked him, becoming a 10-time All-Star and taking home All-Star Game co-MVP honors with Karl Marlone in 1993.</p>
<p>True, unlike his longtime teammate, Stockton never snagged any NBA MVP hardware despite Utah’s winning ways in its glory days. Of course, had Stockton not been on those squads, the general assumption is there’s no way Malone would have either.</p>
<p>In some eyes, even 18 years after his retirement, Stockton’s highlights still exemplify a “pure point guard” better than those of anyone anywhere who balled before or after his most memorable tenure with the Jazz.</p>
<p>Yes, via his smooth style as an exemplary leader while also serving as the band’s snazzy flow-producer with his keen feel and deft hand, Stockton’s on-court music will forever echo in Utah with his name synonymous to “Jazz” and its dictionary definition: “collective improvisation.”</p>
<div class="fs-shortcode" data-type="StoryLink" data-theme="dark" data-text="15 best Jazz draft picks of all time" data-url="https://thejnotes.com/2019/06/14/utah-jazz-counting-top-15-draft-picks/" data-call-to-action="Next"
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<p>John Stockton <em>is indeed</em> the most important and all-around greatest Jazzman. Ever. For Now.</p><!—pageview_candidate—></p>">
