The Utah Jazz All-Time GOAT Pyramid

Our series breaking down every NBA franchise and their greatest players continues with the Utah Jazz 's all-time GOAT pyramid. The Utah Jazz have been in existence as an NBA franchise since the 1974-75 season when they debuted as the New Orleans Jazz. In their 50 seasons in the NBA, the Jazz have accumulated a total winning percentage of 54.5%, made 31 playoff appearances, two NBA Finals appearances, and won zero NBA championships.  

Just as every NBA franchise has, the Jazz have had a myriad of elite talent don their uniforms, helping build the organization into what it is today. We have broken down the Jazz’s 25 greatest players into five tiers based on their performance solely in that Jazz uniform. If you are unfamiliar with our GOAT pyramid series up to this point, you can check out the other teams we have covered below:

- The Los Angeles Lakers All-Time GOAT Pyramid

- The Chicago Bulls All-Time GOAT Pyramid

- The Golden State Warriors All-Time GOAT Pyramid

- The Boston Celtics All-Time GOAT Pyramid

- The Detroit Pistons All-Time GOAT Pyramid

- The Miami Heat All-Time GOAT Pyramid

- The Houston Rockets All-Time GOAT Pyramid

- The Brooklyn Nets All-Time GOAT Pyramid

- The New York Knicks All-Time GOAT Pyramid

- The Milwaukee Bucks All-Time GOAT Pyramid

- The Denver Nuggets All-Time GOAT Pyramid

- The Orlando Magic All-Time GOAT Pyramid

- The Indiana Pacers All-Time GOAT Pyramid

- The Oklahoma City Thunder All-Time GOAT Pyramid

- The Minnesota Timberwolves All-Time GOAT Pyramid

- The Washington Wizards All-Time GOAT Pyramid

At this point, I am sure the suspense is killing you so let’s get into the Utah Jazz all-time GOAT pyramid.

Tier 1

John Stockton, Karl Malone

When it comes to the history of the Utah Jazz, no two players have done more for the franchise on the basketball court than John Stockton and Karl Malone. In a Jazz uniform for 19 seasons, John Stockton became one of the greatest point guards in NBA history, breaking the NBA’s all-time assists and steals record comfortably. He averaged 13.1 points, 10.5 assists, and 2.2 steals per game in his career, winning nine total assists titles and two steals titles with 10 All-Star selections, 11 All-NBA Team selections, an d five All-Defensive Team selections. Stockton was one of the leaders of Utah’s only NBA Finals teams in 1997 and 1998.

Without Karl Malone, John Stockton's legacy in Utah may not be as revered, and vice versa. Stockton and Malone are still one of the greatest pick-and-roll duos in NBA history with Malone’s superb finishing to thank for it. Malone spent 18 seasons with the Jazz from 1986 through 2003, averaging 25.4 points, 10.1 rebounds, and 1.4 steals per game during that time. In 1997 and 1999, Malone earned the only MVP awards ever won by a player in a Jazz uniform. In total with Utah, Malone led them to two NBA Finals and earned 14 All-Star selections, 14 All-NBA Team selections, and four All-Defensive Team selections.

Tier 2

Pete Maravich, Adrian Dantley, Donovan Mitchell, Rudy Gobert

Tier 2 of stars in Utah Jazz history are certainly elite, just short of achieving GOAT status themselves. Pistol Pete Maravich was a revolutionary player in NBA history introducing ball-handling skills, scoring, and elite court vision the likes of which had never been seen before. Maravich sp ent six seasons with the Jazz from 1975-1980 and averaged 25.2 points, 5.6 assists, and 1.4 steals per game. He won a scoring title in 1977 averaging 31.3 points per game with the Jazz as well as three straight All-Star selections from 1977 through 1979.

Adrian Dantley is another fast-paced and high-scoring legend in Utah Jazz history. Dantley spent seven seasons with Utah from 1980 through 1987 where he averaged 29.6 points per game on 56.2% shooting. He won scoring titles in 1981 and 1984 averaging over 30.0 points per game and took home six All-Star selections as well as two All-NBA Team selections with the franchise.

Donovan Mitchell likely would have been right alongside Stockton and Malone had he been able to get them past the second round of the playoffs during his career from 2018-2022. In those five seasons, Mitchell averaged 23.9 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 4.5 assists per game on 44.1% shooting from the field. He earned three straight All-Star selections from 2020 through 2022 and led the team to the playoffs all five seasons he played with the organization.

The final member of Tier 2 is interior defensive savant Rudy Gobert. With the team for nine seasons from 2014 through 2022, Gobert averaged 12.4 points, 11.7 rebounds, and 2.2 blocks per game. Gobert was honored with three Defensive Player of the Year awards in 2018, 2019, and 2021 while also earning one blocks title in 2017 and a rebounding title in 2022. Gobert finished his Utah career as a three-time All-Star, four-time All-NBA, and six-time All-Defensive Team selection.

Tier 3

Mark Eaton, Deron Williams, Jeff Hornacek, Mehmet Okur, Andrei Kirlienko

We continue through the history of the Utah Jazz, kicking off Tier 3 with another monster interior presence, Mark Eaton. The 7’4’’ big man would spend his entire 11-year career with the Jazz from 198 3 through 1992. Eaton was an interior force on the defensive side of the ball with four blocks titles and two Defensive Player of the Year awards to show for it. Eaton would go on to record 3,064 blocks, the fourth-most in NBA history. He would also be a one-time All-Star and five-time All-Defensive Team selection.

For a time with the Utah Jazz, Deron Williams was an elite point guard in the NBA, often being compared to Chris Paul for the No. 1 spot. Williams played five-plus seasons with Utah from 2006 through 2011, averaging 17.3 points, 9.1 assists, and 1.1 steals per game. Williams dazzled his way to three All-Star selections and two All-NBA selections during this time while leading Utah to the playoffs four times including the 2007 Western Conference Finals.

Jeff Hornacek’s time with the Utah Jazz was toward the end of his career but had no bearing on the impact he made with the team. Hornacek was with the Jazz from 1994 through 2000 where he averaged 14.4 points and 4.0 assists per game on 49.4% shooting overall and 42.8% shooting from three. Hornacek was a vital member of the 1997 and 1998 teams that advanced to the NBA Finals but ran into the buzzsaw known as Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls.

Mehmet Okur spent seven of his 10 professional seasons with the Jazz from 2005 through 2011. During his time with the Jazz, Okur averaged 15.3 points, 7.6 rebounds, and 1.9 assists per game. Okur made his only career All-Star game with the Jazz in 2007 when he averaged 17.6 points and 7.2 rebounds per game on 46.2% shooti ng overall and 38.4% shooting from three.

Last but certainly not least on Tier 3 is versatile and defensive savant Andrei Kirilenko. In 10 seasons with the team from 2002 through 2011, Kirilenko became a fan-favorite in Utah, averaging 12.4 points, 5.6 rebounds, 1.4 steals, and 2.0 blocks per game. In those 10 seasons, he earned one All-Star selection in 2005, a blocks title in 2005, and three total All-Defensive Team selections.

Tier 4

Darrell Griffith, Carlos Boozer, Thurl Bailey, Gordon Hayward, Paul Millsap, Al Jefferson, Jordan Clarkson

Darrell Griffith aka “Dr. Dunkenstein” was a member of the Jazz for his entire career as well from 1981 through 1991. Griffith was a solid and consistent 20.0 points per game scorer with the Jazz unt il suffering a foot injury in 1985. In total, Griffith averaged 16.2 points per game on 46.3% shooting in his career. In 1981, Griffith was Rookie of the Year with the Jazz after they made him their second overall pick in the 1980 draft, averaging 20.6 points per game on 46.4% shooting.

Carlos Boozer was a member of the Utah Jazz for six seasons from 2005 through 2010. During this time in his career, Boozer averaged 19.3 points, 10.5 rebounds, and 1.0 steals per game on 54.4% shooting. He earned back-to-back All-Star appearances in 2007 and 2008 while averaging 21.0 points and 11.0 rebounds per game. Boozer helped the Jazz earn four trips to the playoffs including the 2007 Western Conference Finals.

After Utah made him their seventh overall pick in the 1983 NBA Draft, Thurl Bailey would spend the first 10 se asons of his career with the Jazz from 1984 through 1992. And another season to end his career in 1999. Bailey was never an accoladed man in Utah but he did average 14.0 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks per game while reaching the top 10 in franchise history in points, rebounds, and blocks.

Way before he was one of the most overpaid players in the NBA, Gordon Hayward was supposed to be Utah’s next big star when they drafted him ninth overall in 2010. While he fell short of that label, Hayward was still solid, averaging 15.7 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 3.4 assists in seven seasons through 2017. In his final season in Utah, Hayward became an All-Star for the first and only time in his career, averaging 21.9 points and 5.4 rebounds on 47.1% shooting from the floor.

Paul Millsap made his NBA debut with the Utah Jazz in 2006-07 after they made him their 47th overall pick in 2006. Millsap would spend seven seasons in Utah averaging 12.4 points, 7.0 rebounds, 1.1 steals, and 1.0 blocks per game on 51.6% shooting. While his time in Utah pre-existed his days as an NBA All-Star, Millsap played a pivotal role in five different Jazz teams that advanced to the NBA playoffs.

Al Jefferson is another former Utah big man to make it onto Tier 4 of the Jazz GOAT pyramid after spending just three seasons with the team from 2011 through 2013. In those three seasons, Jefferson averaged 18.5 points, 9.5 rebounds, and 1.6 blocks per game. Although he wasn't recognized as an All-Star in Utah, Jefferson was as beloved as any player who has ever come through their doors by the fans.

The final member of Tier 4 is non e other than current Utah Jazz guard Jordan Clarkson. Having been with the team for the last five seasons, Clarkson has averaged 17.8 points per game with the team on 43.2% shooting. In 2021, Clarkson earned the only Sixth Man of the Year award in Jazz history when he averaged 18.4 points per game in 67 games off the bench shooting 42.5% from the field.

Tier 5

Rickey Green, John Drew, Bryon Russell, Truck Robinson, Joe Ingles, Matt Harpring, Bojan Bogdanovic

To kick off Tier 5, we have Rickey Green who played eight seasons with the Jazz from 1981 through 1988. Green averaged 11.4 points and 6.9 assists per game in 606 games played for the Jazz during his career. In 1984, he earned his only All-Star selection and an NBA steals title averaging 13.2 points, 9.2 assists, and 2.7 steals per game on 48.6% shooting.

John Drew’s time with the Utah Jazz was short-lived from 1983 through 1985. During those three seasons, Drew averaged 18.5 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 1.0 steals per game for Utah while shooting 46.8% from the field. Drew was just 30 years old when he would be suspended by the NBA for substance abuse and never played in the league again.

It is a shame that Bryon Russell’s most iconic play with the Utah Jazz is Michael Jordan’s game-winner over him in Game 6 of the 1998 NBA Finals. Russell gave nine seasons of his career to the Jazz from 1994 through 2002, averaging 9.2 points and 1.2 steals per game. Russell was known for being a tough and hard-nosed perimeter defender with Utah which made him beloved among fans all over the state.

Truck Robinson played just 125 games, or one and a half seasons, with the New Orleans Jazz in 1978 and 1979. In 1978, he earned All-Star honors with the team, averaging 22.7 points and a league-leading 15.7 rebounds per game. In two seasons, he averaged 23.2 points and 14.9 rebounds per game on 45.8% shooting, having one of the most epic short runs in NBA history.

Joe Ingles got his NBA start with the Utah Jazz in 2014-15 after they signed him undrafted out of Adelaide, Australia. Ingles was a key member of the Jazz for eight seasons from 2015 through 2022, averaging 8.6 points and 3.8 assists per game. Ingles was known for being a serious perimeter threat, shooting 40.8% from three during his Jazz career on 4.4 attempts from three.

From 2003-2009, Matt Harpring was a staple of the Utah Jazz franchise until a post-surgery infection ended his career at just 32 years old. During his seven seasons with the Jazz, Harpring was a scoring machine, averaging 11.9 points and 4.9 rebounds while shooting 49.0% from the field. In his first three seasons with Utah, Harpring was good for 14.0 points per game or better until being moved into more of a role off the bench.

The final member of the Utah Jazz all-time GOAT pyramid on Tier 5 is none other than Bojan Bogdanovic. Although he was only in town for three seasons, Bogdanovic played a massive role in their success from 2020 through 2022. In those three seasons, he averaged 18.4 points and 4.1 rebounds per game on 44.7% shooting overall and 39.7% shooting from three.