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SALT LAKE CITY — It was quite the year for the Utah Jazz.
There were spectacular on-court moments, a national story surrounding their fan base, and an offseason filled with optimism.
From the best to the worst, here are the moments that defined the Utah Jazz's 2019 year.
Best Donovan Mitchell crowd interaction: all of them
On Jan. 5, after Donovan Mitchell scored 24 points in the second half to lead the Jazz to a road win in Detroit, he was caught on camera yelling emphatically toward a Pistons fan who had heckled him all game, “You did this. This is your fault."
That scenario repeated itself on Nov. 20 in Minnesota. A Wolves fan was razzing Mitchell for his slow start. Mitchell then scored 11 to lead the Jazz to a win.
Mitchell also had some moments with his home crowd. In the closing minutes of a Jazz win on Jan. 23, Mitchell called on the fans for help as Denver’s Will Barton inbounded the ball. Their reaction helped result in a five-second violation that led to Mitchell high-fiving fans in celebration.
We can’t decide which one was the best, but here’s to them continuing in 2020.
Best award campaign: Rudy Gobert’s Encore
In April, the Jazz dropped a unique Defensive Player of the Year campaign for Rudy Gobert, re-creating the artwork of the classic jazz album “Coltrane.” The recreation featured a record sleeve and insert printed at Dorado Music Packaging in Los Angeles, and the record itself was produced at United Record Pressing in Nashville.
The campaign worked, with Gobert winning his second DPOY award. The fact that Gobert led the league in defensive real plus-minus and was second in blocks and shot contests probably helped too.
Best game: Utah 115, Milwaukee 111
On March 2, Mitchell scored 19 of his career-high 46 points to outduel Giannis Antetokounmpo, who scored 30 of his 43 points in the second, and lead the Jazz back from down 17 points in the fourth quarter.
It was only the second time in the last decade that two opposing players both scored 43 or more points in regulation. The first time it was Damian Lillard and Kevin Durant. Not bad company.
Worst snub: Rudy Gobert left out of All-Star game
It brought out anger within the Jazz organization. It brought tears to his mother. It even brought out high emotions from him. Gobert’s omission from the 2019 All-Star Game looked bad at the time and looked even worse after he won his second Defensive Player of the Year award and was named Third Team All-NBA at the end of the season.
Worst moment: The Russell Westbrook-fan altercation
It was the most high-profile story of the year for the Utah Jazz. Russell Westbrook was caught on video yelling vulgarities and threats toward a fan — a fan, the Jazz later discovered, who was yelling Westbrook racist remarks toward Westbrook. It led to the fan getting a lifetime ban and a strong response (more on that later) from the Jazz.
The fan, Shane Kiesel, has filed a lawsuit against the Jazz and Westbrook for public defamation.
Best moment: The Jazz stand up to racism
Sometimes the stories away from the court are more meaningful than the play on it. That was the case when Jazz owner Gail Miller stood on center court and delivered a powerful message against racism and hate speech at the home game immediately following the Westbrook-fan incident.
“We are not a racist community,” Miller said. “We believe in treating people with courtesy and respect as human beings.”
Kyle Korver also penned a touching essay in the Players’ Tribune about the need for everyone to become more educated on racism and inequality.
"I have to listen. I’ll say it again, because it’s that important. I have to listen. I have to support leaders who see racial justice as fundamental — as something that’s at the heart of nearly every major issue in our country today. And I have to support policies that do the same."
Worst win: Jazz beat the Nuggets in April
Mitchell matched a career-high of 46 points and the Jazz won their 50th game — all good things right? Not exactly. The 118-108 win over the Nuggets locked up the fifth seed for the Jazz; and when things wrapped up the next day, it meant they were playing the Rockets in the first round of the playoffs — which ended with a closer-than-it-looked five-game series.
Credit for the Jazz for not tanking a game. But it may have helped them stay alive a little longer if they had.
Best player acquisition: Bojan Bogdanovic
When the Jazz signed Bojan Bogdanovic it was seen as a good move by most, but not many likely saw the type of season Bogdanovic would have. The Croatian forward is averaging career highs in points (20.8), 3-point shooting (43%), 3-point attempts (7.3), rebounds (4.5) and assists (2.2).
He was part of an offseason where the Jazz made moves with one goal in mind: to compete for a championship. That’s why Mike Conley was brought in and why the Jazz traded for Jordan Clarkson last week.
Best buzzer-beater: Bogdanovic beats the Bucks
Speaking of Bogdanovic, it took less than 10 games to have an all-time moment.
Bogdanovic nailed a corner 3 at the buzzer to beat reigning MVP Antetokounmpo and the Bucks on Nov. 8. It was just his eighth game playing with the Jazz.
Best player: Rudy Gobert
Mitchell’s latest run of play has put him on the verge of true superstar status. Mitchell might dethrone Gobert one day, but for now, the long French center is still the Jazz’s best player.
Gobert averaged 16.5 points, 13.2 rebounds and shot 67.9% from January to April last season, and has started this season by averaging 14.9 points and 14.1 rebounds while shooting 68.8%.
At the end of the 2018-19 season, he won his second Defensive Player of the Year award, was named Third Team All-NBA, and had set the record for dunks in a season.
He’s the game’s most dominant defensive player and the Jazz’s best.
