NEW ORLEANS — It is the duty of every newspaper to correct wrongdoings, expose injustices and publish the truth "without fear or favor."
In that light, and in the public interest, I will reveal, for the first time, the truth about Aaron James.
The man is innocent.
He never, ever said he wouldn't play in Utah.
May the rumor end here forever.
First, a little background. Before Derek Harper said "You go live in Utah!"; before Rony Seikaly faked an injury to keep from coming to the West; before LaPhonso Ellis declared himself a Utah-free zone; before Brian Williams said he'd rather play in the CBA than live in Salt Lake; and before Shandon Anderson declared leaving Utah was a "lifestyle" issue, there was Aaron James.
He was the first guy who didn't come to Utah.
And he's been taking a bad rap ever since.
In 1979, the year the Jazz moved to Salt Lake from New Orleans, James was an oft-used small forward. He wasn't an All-Star, but he was certainly competent. That final year in New Orleans, he led the team in scoring four times — which wasn't easy for anyone who played with Pete Maravich. He was a legitimate NBA starter.
But when the Jazz announced they were moving to Salt Lake, James, a Louisiana prep legend, took a different route. He went to Europe instead, then the Philippines to play.
It was an intriguing story, really. Twenty-six years old, in the prime of his career. He was making $140,000 a year, a handsome salary for the time, even by NBA standards. Yet when the Jazz tipped off in Salt Lake the following season, no James.
He had vanished from the face of the earth, or at least the face of the NBA.
Ever since, the rumor has persisted that James was the first guy who flat-out said thanks-but-no-thanks to Utah.
Little did he know plenty of others would follow.
But this is where the story takes a detour. James was in New Orleans Wednesday for the Hornets' season-opening blowout win over the Jazz, so I nabbed him before he went back to his seat at halftime.
"Maybe you could clear something up for me," I said. "In 1979, did you say you wouldn't move to Utah?"
"No. I didn't say that," he said.
But what about the perception nobody really wants to play in Salt Lake? What about Rod Strickland, who said Utah was the worst stop in the NBA "just because it's Utah."
"I wanted to go to Utah, I really did," said James. "But my contract was up and they wanted to sign me for five years, none of them guaranteed. I told them I would take even one or two years like that. I didn't have a problem with that. But they wanted five. In Europe, they guaranteed two years."
This, then, is what happened to Aaron James: He took the guaranteed contract in Europe instead of the non-guaranteed deal in Utah. He later opened a video store, completed graduate school at Grambling, coached at Jarvis Christian in Texas, then went back home to Grambling, first as the assistant women's basketball coach, then the head men's coach. Now he is an assistant athletic director and assistant professor of health and education.
He even followed the Jazz after they left New Orleans. When he lived in Texas he would drive two hours to see the Jazz and Mavericks. He had a special affinity for Karl Malone, who grew up in Summerfield, La. — only a short distance from Grambling — and played at Louisiana Tech, a five-mile trip away.
He went to games to see old friends Hot Rod Hundley and former Jazz assistant coach Dave Fredman. And to see what his old team was up to.
James was introduced at half-time Wednesday as one of four former Jazz players from the New Orleans days, along with E.C. Coleman, Rich Kelley and the late Pete Maravich, whose number was retired by the Hornets.
James reiterated he didn't boycott the move to Utah.
"Would you clear that up for me?" he said.
Because sometimes it's personal.
Other times, it's merely business.
E-MAIL: rock@desnews.com