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The Utah Jazz have had a rich history of being one of the more successful teams in the NBA. They've had some of the top players in the game of basketball spend time playing for their organization. What's been even more remarkable has been some of the teams that the Jazz organization has been able to put together. Unfortunately for fans of the Utah franchise, that doesn't guarantee anything when it comes to potential NBA championships.
While we may find ourselves rooting for players to one day win a title, the harsh reality is that it often doesn't happen. Players will spend their entire career chasing the goal of a championship ring, before they realize they have run out of time and that dream has never come true. It's the toughest part about the careers of some of these players, but it doesn't change the fact that some of these players shined on the basketball court. While it's always tough to point out the "what-ifs" when it comes to the history of the game, it's also important to shine a light on how close these players were. Let's take a look at some of the best players that were so close to bringing a championship home to the Utah Jazz organization.
#3 Jeff Hornacek
There are a number of directions you could argue when it comes to some of the best players in Utah Jazz franchise history that never won a championship with the team. While Hall of Famer Pete Maravich was a strong contender here, he also spent the majority of his career playing for the New Orleans Jazz before they moved to Salt Lake City. For now, crafty veteran Jeff Hornacek gets the nod.
The crafty veteran spent 14-years in the NBA, playing seven of them with the Utah Jazz. While Hornacek had better years earlier in his career when it came to scoring, you could argue that his best play was during his tenure with the Jazz. Hornacek, who is known for his shooting ability, had some of his best seasons from downtown while wearing a Jazz uniform. During the 1995-96 season, Hornacek finished the year shooting 50.2% from the field while shooting 46.6% from 3. He was a major reason why the Jazz were one of the top teams in the Western Conference for years.
#2 Karl Malone
It's difficult to even think of the idea of doing this list without mentioning Karl Malone. One of the greatest low-post scorers in the 90s, Malone spent an eye-opening 18-years with the Utah Jazz organization. The "Mailman" will go down as one of the greatest power forwards to ever play the game of basketball. He's near the top of the all-time scoring rankings for a reason. Malone played alongside teammate John Stockton, making it one of the most dangerous duos of offensive weaponry that the game of basketball has ever seen.
What's even more remarkable about Malone's career is that he made the playoffs every year of his career. Karl Malone would go on to win a pair of MVP trophies during his career, but he would never win a Championship. Malone would find himself making it all the way to the NBA finals twice but would end up losing to Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls.
#1 John Stockton
One of the greatest point guards to ever play the game of professional basketball, John Stockton also dealt with the same career experience as Karl Malone (above). What's even more impressive is how long Stockton played with the Utah Jazz. After entering the NBA as a 22-year-old rookie, Stockton went on to play 19-years in the NBA, retiring after his final season when he played 27.7 minutes per game at the age of 40. Stockton was one of the most brilliant passers to ever play in the NBA. He went on to average more than 10.0 assists per game for 10 straight seasons. He still ranks first in NBA history in assists and steals.
During the 1989-90 season, the crafty guard would go on to average 14.5 assists per game. It's known as the best single-season mark in NBA history. Unfortunately for Stockton, he also ran into a number of incredibly tough opponents when it came to trying to win a championship. The Utah Jazz would make it to the Western Conference Finals a number of times throughout the 90s, but they would lose to teams including Hall of Famers Clyde Drexler and Hakeem Olajuwon. Stockton remains one of the greatest NBA players to never win a ring during his career.
