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Many household names spent most of their careers playing for the Utah Jazz. One that will never be forgotten is former All-Star and defensive wizard Andrei Kirilenko from Russia. Kirilenko spent ten seasons in Utah before finishing his career with the Minnesota Timberwolves and New Jersey Nets.
Kirilenko played in the John Stockton and Karl Malone eras but also had good seasons when former All-Stars Carlos Boozer and Deron Williams spearheaded the Jazz. Despite playing with a couple of Hall of Famers, neither Malone nor Stockton were Kirilenko's most challenging matchup in practice.
According to Kirilenko, the hardest matchup at practice he faced was DeShawn Stevenson. Kirilenko shared his insight when he joined The Knuckleheads Podcast with Jason Richardson and Darius Miles.
"D-Steve [Deshawn Stevenson], he was like explosive [and] great defensively. He was like standing on his feet [and] I was like — I couldn't beat him when we had the one-on-one drill. You like [to] dribble the ball, and he was always in front of you. Oh my God — this is amazing speed. The explosiveness — anytime he got the ball, it’s like Vince Carter. You can't let him get the chance to put his foot close to the rim. You have to be there, otherwise you're going to be posterized."
Stevenson is somewhat of a surprise considering all the greats in which he played with while in Utah. However, Stevenson was an electric presence on the court. He spent 3+ years with the Jazz before being traded to the Orlando Magic in 2004.
His time in Utah was short due to not seeing eye-to-eye with then head coach Jerry Sloan. In return for Stevenson, the Jazz obtained sharp shooter Gordon Giricek.
As for Kirilenko, the Jazz got a steal when they drafted him 24th in the 2001 NBA draft. Always a fan favorite, Kirilenko played in the last time the Jazz were in the Western Conference Finals in 2007 with Boozer and Williams.
Also, Kirilenko would have faired well in today's NBA. He is exactly what the Jazz need on the current roster. Utah has lacked an athletic wing that can impose his will on the opponent's best offensive threat. Cody Williams and Taylor Hendricks are candidates to fill that role, but it's a long way to be put in the same conversation as one of the greatest Jazz players ever to do it on both ends of the court.
Patrick Byrnes is the Deputy Editor of The Frozen Rope — SI.com's team website covering the Utah Jazz.
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Lakers Officially Sign Former Ivy League Star
The Lakers probably have not had the impact offseason many fans hoped they'd have, choosing to spend their limited available money on what they hope will be bargain pieces--point guard Marcus Smart and center Deandre Ayton, players who were good enough to be considered stars at one point, but who have fallen off enough that their previous teams saw fit to buy them out. That's far from the wild trade proposals fans and some media members dreamt up over recent months. And it is far from the bubbling rumors of a blockbuster that would send star forward LeBron James elsewhere. It's still possible that the Lakers will find a wild trade to make in the coming weeks, perhaps even one that includes James, no matter how unlikely that looks to be. But those around the league and within the Lakers have long held that L.A. has belief in the current roster, when healthy. And there's a determination to give it a shot. That means not only the additions of Smart and Ayton, but also, finally, getting healthy seasons from Jarred Vanderbilt and Jaxson Hayes, plus improvement from the likes of Bronny James and, of course, more familiarity with Luka Doncic. In the meantime, the Lakers need to fill out the back end of the roster, and for a team that has had some luck with G League and two-way players, that could be important. The Lakers announced on Thursday that they are signing former Cornell star Chris Manon, who struggled and averaged 6.6 points last year after transferring to Vanderbilt, to a two-way contract. Manon played with the Warriors in summer league, and ESPN's Dave McMenamin reported that the Lakers still have a two-way post available. He wrote on Twitter/X: "The Lakers announce the signing of Chris Mañon to a two-way contract. They have one two-way contract available to fill still, with center Christian Koloko signed as their second two-way player." Manon's offensive struggles were obvious when he moved to the SEC, but it was never his scoring that was going to get him to the NBA. As the site No Ceilings wrote of Manon: "Chris Manon is one of the best defensive playmakers in college hoops. Despite carrying a 26.6 usage rate, Manon was still a high-energy, active defender. He posted a 5.5 STL%, 2.8 BLK%, and 4.1 DBPM, which are elite indicators for a guard prospect."
Biggest impact of Josh Naylor trade may still be to come
While the Seattle Mariners landed an impact bat on Thursday night, their trade for Josh Naylor has also likely impacted the entire upcoming MLB trade deadline. On Thursday, Seattle sent a pair of top pitching prospects to the Arizona Diamondbacks in exchange for Naylor, with left-hander Brandyn Garcia (ranked as Seattle's 13th-best prospect by MLB.com) and right-hander Ashton Izzi (ranked as Seattle's 16th-best prospect by the same rankings) heading to the desert. Knowing what the Diamondbacks received in exchange for Naylor could well set the market for what is to come between now and the conclusion of the 2025 MLB trade deadline, set for 6 p.m. (Eastern) on July 31. The 28-year-old first baseman was ranked by The Athletic as the 17th-best trade candidate likely to be available, but ranked behind just one other first baseman (Baltimore's Ryan O'Hearn, who was slotted in at 16th). If Naylor brought in a pair of pitching prospects, including Garcia, who has appeared in two games this season for Seattle, the Diamondbacks could be salivating over what third baseman Eugenio Suarez and his 36 home runs could bring in return. All MLB teams who will be buying or selling at this year's trade deadline have had the first price bar set for them with the Naylor deal. Now it will be fascinating to see what comes next, especially knowing that Naylor will be a free agent at the end of this season. If Seattle gave up two pitching prospects for a player who could be a late-season rental only, imagine what the Minnesota Twins may be able to recoup for starting pitcher Joe Ryan (under team control through the 2027 season) or the Boston Red Sox might get back for outfielder Jarren Duran, who won't be a free agent until the 2029 campaign. While Naylor may not be the biggest move to come during this span before the trade deadline comes to a close, his deal could be the one that establishes selling prices for the trades that are to come. With so few MLB teams expected to be outright sellers, the price for available talent was expected to be high. We learned on Thursday night with the Naylor swap just how high those prices may go.
Wrestling legend Hulk Hogan leaves behind a complicated legacy
On Thursday, wrestling icon Terry "Hulk Hogan" Bollea died at the age of 71. "WWE is saddened to learn WWE Hall of Famer Hulk Hogan has passed away," the company said in a statement. "One of pop culture’s most recognizable figures, Hogan helped WWE achieve global recognition in the 1980s... WWE extends its condolences to Hogan’s family, friends, and fans." Hogan was the first true superstar to emerge in the wrestling industry, capturing a casual audience worldwide and bringing new eyes to the sport. He was an unbelievable draw, both as a baby face and as a heel. From his time as an All-American hero to leading the New World Order and teaming with Randy Savage as part of the "Mega Powers," he has been a staple of the scene for decades. Who can forget his WrestleMania III moment, where he defied the laws of physics to body-slam a 520-pound Andre the Giant? Or, more recently, his match with Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson at WrestleMania 18? His last appearance on WWE RAW on Jan. 6 saw him booed throughout, highlighting the rocky legacy Hogan leaves behind. Hogan's universal popularity has plummeted in recent years, primarily due to a racism scandal that led to his removal from the Wrestling Hall of Fame, only to be reinstated in 2018. Nevertheless, the damage had been done. Hogan's outdated and unwelcome outlook on specific aspects of life derailed the final stanza of a legendary career. Still, there's no denying that without Hogan, the wrestling we know and love today wouldn't exist. There wouldn't be WWE on the world's largest streaming platform, or All Elite Wrestling, which is developing into one of the most successful challenger brands. Instead, there would be smaller, more localized promotions, all competing for a sliver of television time. Hogan popularized the sport by bridging the gap between the wrestling ring and Hollywood. During his time in the spotlight, Hogan appeared in movies such as "Rocky III," "No Holds Barred" and "Suburban Commando," all of which helped bring his larger-than-life persona to a new audience. It's no surprise, then, that The Rock, John Cena and Dave Bautista have all made similar jumps in recent years. Hogan leaves behind an everlasting imprint on the wrestling world. Unfortunately, it comes with multiple asterisks; however, that doesn't change what he achieved as the first global wrestling star.
Raiders have whiffed on every recent major free-agent signing
The Las Vegas Raiders released defensive lineman Christian Wilkins on Thursday over a dispute regarding his recovery from a foot injury. The move comes just one year after he signed a massive four-year, $110M contract in free agency. Even worse, It continues what has been a disturbing trend of the Raiders completely whiffing on every major free-agent signing they have made since relocating from Oakland to Las Vegas prior to the 2020 season. Of the four highest-paid outside free agents they have made in the five years since that move, only one of them played more than one season with the Raiders before being let go, and none of them played more than two seasons. There is always a risk with free agency because you never truly know how a player is going to fit onto a new team, into a new system and how they will play until they actually put on the pads and start doing it. It's not uncommon for some of those big moves to end in disappointment. The concern for the Raiders is that all of their recent big moves have ended in disappointment, and it's a big part of why the team has had just one winning seasons over the past five seasons. Las Vegas mostly stayed out of the big-ticket free agent game this offseason, but still made some significant moves to change the organization. Along with hiring head coach Pete Carroll, they also acquired quarterback Geno Smith to provide some stability at a position that has been a consistent mess over the past few years. Carroll and the Raiders have big expectations this season, but the roster still has a lot of holes. The release of Wilkins on Thursday only adds another one that they may not have been expecting.
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