Winning Spirit Magazine July - August 2013 July - August 2013 | Page 10

GRANT HARRISON RETIRES
Grant Harrison,
the longesttenured
full-time
employee of the
Utah Jazz (35
years), retired in
May after making
a lasting imprint
on sports and
entertainment
as the vice
president of promotions and game
operations. Harrison had a courtside view
for more than 1,700 basketball games,
and witnessed everything from the early
franchise struggles to the NBA Finals with
John Stockton and Karl Malone.
“It seems like such a long time with one
organization, but I can’t believe how fast
the time passed,” said Harrison. “It is hard to
walk away from the day-to-day interactions
and the camaraderie that I shared with
my colleagues.”
Under his direction, th
Jazz games, from stirri
of the National Anthem
stunt and dunk teams,
among the best in the
two of the most recog
throughout Utah with
“Bear” and the Jazz Da
a dual role in sponsors
several successful part
clients and the team.
Harrison worked for th
American Basketball A
1970 until the ABA me
in 1976. During his time
team won the ABA Ch
He and Jazz broadcas
played for the Stars at
only two group emplo
Championship rings. A
merger in 1976, Harriso
own business venture
Jazz in 1979.
His goal was simply to
never a lull in the actio
of the early teams to c
MAILMAN TO DELIVER BIG FOR JAZZ
On May 29, 2013, Tyrone Corbin, head coach for the Utah Jazz,
announced the return of Karl Malone to the organization. Malone
will work with Jazz forward Derrick Favors and center Enes Kanter,
as well as others, on an as-needed basis.
“It is great to have Karl as a resource for the team,” said Corbin. “He
is one of the most talented big men to have ever played this game.”
Malone played 18 of his 19 professional seasons as a member of the
Utah Jazz, from 1985-2003. In that time he was a two-time NBA
Most Valuable Player (1997, ‘99) and a 14-time NBA All-Star. He was
named as one of the NBA’s 50 Greatest Players in 1996 and ranks
second on the NBA’s all-time scoring list. He also won two Olympic
gold medals, competing as a member of the 1992 USA Basketball
“Dream Team” and the 1996 USA Olympic champions. Malone was
inducted to the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in 2010. WS