Led by coach Jerry Sloan, who took over from Frank Layden in 1988, Utah became one of the powerhouse teams of the 1990s, culminating in two NBA Finals appearances in 1997 and 1998, where they lost both times to the Chicago Bulls, led by Michael Jordan.
In March 2020, center Rudy Gobert tested positive for COVID-19, becoming the first NBA player with a confirmed case of the virus. After teammates of Gobert's on the Utah Jazz also tested positive, the NBA postponed the 2019-20 season indefinitely.
Darrell Griffith, also known as Dr. Dunkenstein, spent his entire professional career with the Utah Jazz. Drafted to replace legendary shooting guard Pete Maravich, Griffith got off to a hot start, averaging 20.6 points per game in his first season.
Ben Poquette posted modest averages of 9.0 points and 6.6 rebounds per game in his four seasons with the Jazz, but he did earn the somewhat dubious distinction of leading the NBA in personal fouls during the 1980-81 season, with 342 total fouls committed.
Though limited offensively, Mark Eaton's 7 ft 4 in height helped him become one of the best defensive centers in NBA history. Eaton not only leads the Jazz in career blocks (3,064), he holds the NBA record for most blocks in a season (456) and career average blocked shots per game (3.50).
In 2019, Rudy Gobert shattered the single-season record for slam dunks with 306. That year, Gobert also led the NBA in screen assists, with 482, effective field goal percentage, with 66.9 percent, and true shooting percentage, at 68.2 percent.
John Stockton's number is retired, a street in Salt Lake City is named for him, and there is a statue of his likeness outside the arena where he played his entire 19-year NBA career.
Power forward Truck Robinson set a franchise record during the 1977-78 season with 990 defensive rebounds, leading the league in that category.
During his final season with the Jazz (1999-00), Jeff Hornacek made a franchise record 95 percent of his free throw attempts.
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