Winning Spirit Magazine May June 2017 Az CA | Page 10

The legendary 1996-1997 Utah Jazz team posed for a reunion photo in front of thousands of enthusiastic fans.
UTAH
A Reunion to Remember
Jazz Celebrate 20th Anniversary of Their First Western Conference Championship.
A
n emotional reunion brought back
members of the 1996–97 team as the
Utah Jazz celebrated the 20th anniversary
of the franchise’s first Western Conference
Championship. Players, coaches, athletic trainers,
and front office staff were honored during
halftime of the Jazz game at Vivint Smart Home
Arena on March 22.
“The 1996–97 season was the culmination
of so many years of hard work,” said Gail
Miller, owner of the Larry H. Miller Group of
Companies. “That team brought our community
together during an incredible playoff run,
creating memories our fans cherish to this day.”
Presented by Zions Bank, the “Reunited:
’97 Western Conference Champs” celebration
featured a re-creation of the team photo on the
court and the presentation of commemorative
plaques that were made from the players’ lockers
20 years ago.
The 1996–97 Jazz won the franchise’s first
Western Conference Championship, capped off
with a John Stockton buzzer-beating threepointer
in Game 6 of the Western Conference
Finals at Houston. The team headed into the
postseason as the West’s top seed following a
franchise record 64 wins.
Celebrating its 50th anniversary, the NBA
also honored Karl Malone and John Stockton
as two of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA
history during All-Star Weekend where the two
would qualify for their 10 th and ninth All-Star
appearances, respectively. ◆
UTAH
Big Wins Off the Court
Coach Sloan, Jazz Players Honored at Utah State of Sport Awards.
Utah Jazz players Rudy Gobert and Joel
Bolomboy received 2017 Governor’s State
of Sport Awards in April while Hall of
Fame coach Jerry Sloan was honored with a
Lifetime Achievement Award during the Utah
Sports Commission event presented by Zions
Bank at Vivint Smart Home Arena.
Gobert won the Pro/Olympian Male Athlete
of the Year Award in a public online vote.
Bolomboy captured the Collegiate Male Athlete
of the Year Award while playing for Weber State
University. He was selected by the Utah Jazz in
the second round of the 2016 NBA Draft.
The event featured a Lifetime Achievement
Award presentation to the former Utah Jazz
head coach from Gov. Gary R. Herbert. A
beautiful Frank Layden-narrated video was
followed by tributes from Greg Miller, John
Stockton, and Thurl Bailey. An on-stage
dialogue between Sloan and Craig Bolerjack
added a personal touch.
Over his 23 seasons at the helm, Sloan
guided Utah to 19 playoff appearances, two
NBA Finals (1997, 1998), seven division titles, a
streak of 16 consecutive winning seasons (1988-
2004), 13 seasons with 50-plus wins and three
with 60-plus wins, while suffering only one
losing season. ◆
8 LHM Winning Spirit May/June 2017