22
Oct
5 min read
Utah Jazz NBA Profile: Five things you need to know
The Utah Jazz are yet to win an NBA Championship
- Hall of Famer John Stockton holds the NBA assist record
- The Jazz were beaten twice in the NBA Finals by Michael Jordan's Chicago Bulls
- Three Australians have played for the Jazz
The Utah Jazz have been one of the NBA's most consistent franchises since moving to Salt Lake City in 1979, known for their steadfast commitment to team-oriented basketball.
Key Details
Location: Salt Lake City, Utah
Home Arena: Delta Center
Year Founded: 1974 (as New Orleans Jazz)
Championships: 0
Major Rivals: Houston Rockets, Los Angeles Lakers
Australians who have played for the Utah Jazz
Joe Ingles: Born in Adelaide, South Australia, Ingles joined the Jazz in 2014 after being waived by the Los Angeles Clippers. Over eight seasons with Utah, he became a fan favorite, known for his sharpshooting, playmaking, and defensive versatility. Ingles set franchise records for three-pointers made and was a key contributor to the team's success during his tenure. He was traded to the Portland Trail Blazers in February 2022.
Dante Exum: Hailing from Melbourne, Victoria, Exum was selected by the Jazz with the fifth overall pick in the 2014 NBA Draft. He played for Utah from 2014 to 2019, showcasing potential as a versatile guard. However, injuries limited his impact, and he was traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers in December 2019.
Patty Mills: Born in Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Mills signed a one-year, fully guaranteed $3.3 million deal with the Jazz in August 2024. A 15-year NBA veteran, Mills brings experience and leadership to the team. Prior to joining Utah, he had stints with the San Antonio Spurs, Brooklyn Nets, Atlanta Hawks, and Miami Heat.
Identity
Team Philosophy: The Jazz have long emphasised fundamentally sound, team-first basketball built around strong defense and efficient offense. Under legendary coach Jerry Sloan, the Jazz became synonymous with the pick-and-roll offense executed to perfection by John Stockton and Karl Malone.
Playing Style: Traditionally, the Jazz have favoured a deliberate, half-court style of play that maximises possessions and limits turnovers. In recent years, they've incorporated more three-point shooting while maintaining their defensive identity.
Club Culture
The Jazz organisation prides itself on stability and continuity. They've had relatively few head coaches and have often developed talent internally rather than chasing big-name free agents. The team maintains strong ties to the Salt Lake City community.
Legacy & Impact
Greatest Eras: The Jazz reached their peak in the late 1990s, making back-to-back NBA Finals appearances in 1997 and 1998 led by the Stockton-Malone duo. More recently, the Rudy Gobert-Donovan Mitchell pairing led the team to several playoff appearances in the late 2010s and early 2020s.
Famous Teams: The 1996-97 and 1997-98 Finals teams are the most celebrated in franchise history. The 2020-21 team finished with the NBA's best record but fell short in the playoffs.
Key Figures
John Stockton, Karl Malone, and Jerry Sloan form the holy trinity of Jazz basketball. Other notable players include Adrian Dantley, Mark Eaton, Andrei Kirilenko, Deron Williams, Gordon Hayward, Rudy Gobert, and Donovan Mitchell.
Five Fast Facts
- The Jazz have never won an NBA championship, coming closest with two Finals appearances in 1997 and 1998.
- John Stockton is the NBA's all-time leader in assists and steals.
- The team's name comes from their original home of New Orleans but was kept after moving to Utah.
- Karl Malone is second on the NBA's all-time scoring list behind only Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
- The Jazz have made the playoffs in 28 of their 43 seasons in Utah.
Club Timeline
1974: Franchise founded as New Orleans Jazz
1979: Team relocates to Salt Lake City, Utah
1984: Make first playoff appearance
1988: Jerry Sloan becomes head coach
1997: Reach NBA Finals for first time, lose to Chicago Bulls
1998: Return to NBA Finals, again lose to Bulls
2003: Stockton retires, Malone leaves in free agency
2017: Donovan Mitchell drafted, ushering in new era
2022: Trade Gobert and Mitchell, enter rebuilding phase
Key Statistics
All-Time Record: 2,277-1,933 (.541 winning percentage)
Championship History: 0 NBA Championships, 2 Western Conference Championships (1997, 1998)
Hall of Fame Players: 9 (including John Stockton, Karl Malone, Pete Maravich)
Retired Numbers: 10 (1, 4, 7, 9, 12, 14, 32, 35, 53, 1223)
Notable Records: NBA record for highest home winning percentage in a season (39-2, .951 in 1996-97)
Today
The Utah Jazz are currently in a rebuilding phase after trading away All-Stars Rudy Gobert and Donovan Mitchell in the 2022 offseason. Under new head coach Will Hardy, the team is focusing on developing young talent and accumulating draft assets for the future.
Despite low expectations, the Jazz have shown promise with the emergence of Lauri Markkanen as an All-Star caliber player. The team's future success will depend on their ability to draft and develop talent, as well as potentially using their accumulated assets to acquire star players. While immediate championship contention is unlikely, the Jazz are laying the groundwork for their next competitive era.
