The jersey of former Utah Jazz ahead Karl Malone hangs from the rafters subsequent to former teammate John Stockton’s on the retirement of Malone’s basketball quantity Thursday, March 23, 2006, in Salt Lake Metropolis. Douglas C. Pizac, Related Press
One of many pinnacles of particular person achievement in sports activities is to have your jersey quantity retired by a franchise, by no means to be worn once more by a participant on that staff.
Within the Utah Jazz’s historical past, which started in 1974 in New Orleans earlier than the franchise was relocated to Salt Lake Metropolis, eight gamers’ numbers have been retired, together with two others that gamers would in any other case be eligible to put on.
As well as, one different has been “retired” to acknowledge legendary head coach Jerry Sloan.
Right here’s a rundown of the Jazz’s retired numbers.
1 Frank Layden
Layden was a key piece of the group from 1979-1989, first as normal supervisor after which as head coach. After the franchise struggled mightily in its early years, Layden was an important determine in serving to it turn into some of the steady within the NBA within the Nineteen Eighties. His bigger than life character solely added to his legacy, and the No. 1 was retired to honor that legacy.
4 Adrian Dantley
Maybe essentially the most underrated participant in franchise historical past, Dantley was a star, though he performed on fairly a couple of dangerous Jazz groups earlier than they broke by means of and made the playoffs for the primary time in 1984 in the course of his time in Salt Lake Metropolis. Dantley was named an All-Star six instances, an All-NBA participant twice and led the league in scoring twice.
6 Invoice Russell
The legendary Boston Celtics heart retired 5 years earlier than the New Orleans Jazz got here into existence, however following his demise in 2022, his No. 6 was retired throughout the complete NBA.
7 Pete Maravich
One of many recreation’s most well-known gamers ever, Maravich spent six of his 10 NBA seasons with the Jazz, 5 in New Orleans and one in Utah. In that point, he made 4 All-Star video games, three All-NBA groups and led the league in scoring as soon as. His No. 7 can also be retired by the New Orleans Pelicans, and No. 44 is retired by the Atlanta Hawks. He died in 1988.
9 Larry H. Miller
The No. 9 was retired by the Jazz in 2010 to honor Miller, who purchased a 50% stake within the staff in 1985 and the remainder in 1986, after he died in 2009. Miller’s enterprise acumen was important in turning one of many NBA’s most struggling franchises into one in all its most steady. Miller’s late spouse Gail put the franchise in a dynasty belief in 2017, signaling that the Miller household would personal it in perpetuity, though it was offered to Ryan Smith in 2020 for $1.66 billion. The No. 9 retired to honor Miller is an homage to the quantity he wore taking part in softball, a sport he beloved.
12 John Stockton
A franchise pillar for 20 years alongside Karl Malone, Stockton is the NBA’s all-time chief in each assists and steals. Moreover, he was named an All-Star 10 instances and has quite a few different accolades to his title.
14 Jeff Hornacek
Hornacek is usually seen as essentially the most divisive participant when it comes to the Jazz’s choice to retire his quantity. That stated, the sharpshooter arrived in Utah in 1994 and was a mainstay within the backcourt alongside Stockton till 2000 because the Jazz made their two NBA Finals appearances in franchise historical past in 1997 and 1998. Hornacek was an assistant coach with the franchise from 2011-2013 and returned in 2022 as a training guide.
32 Karl Malone
Drafted by the Jazz in 1985 a 12 months after they chose Stockton, Malone is third all-time in NBA historical past in factors scored (he was second for a few years till LeBron James handed him). He was named league MVP in 1997 and 1999 and made 14 All-Star appearances.
35 Darrell Griffith
The very best draft choose the Jazz have ever had, Griffith was taken with the second choose within the 1980 draft and performed his whole NBA profession in Utah till his retirement in 1991. In that point, Griffith was league Rookie of the Yr and averaged 20 factors per recreation in 4 of his first 5 seasons (he got here up simply brief with a mean of 19.8 in his second season) earlier than taking a little bit of a backseat to Malone.
53 Mark Eaton
Probably the most dominant defensive gamers of his period (he performed his whole profession for the Jazz, from 1982-1994), Eaton received Defensive Participant of the Yr honors in 1985 and 1989 and was additionally named an All-Star in 1989. He died whereas using his bicycle in 2021.
1223
Though 1223 will not be a quantity a participant can be eligible to put on, the Jazz retired this quantity in 2014 to acknowledge the variety of wins Jerry Sloan tallied throughout his 23 seasons as head coach. The Jazz additionally wore this quantity as a jersey patch for a time following Sloan’s demise in 2020. The No. 4 was retired by the Chicago Bulls in recognition of the 10-year taking part in profession he had with them, which noticed him be named an All-Star twice.