HILL AIR FORCE BASE — Most years, the Utah Jazz have held their season-opening scrimmage at their home arena for their regular fans. Last year they broke tradition and went to Granger High School where they had a surprise scrimmage for the student body in West Valley City.
This time they decided to go north and honor the military by playing at Hill Air Force Base, where some 500 servicemen and servicewomen and their families got a rare look at Utah's NBA basketball team.
“We are proud to host this year’s scrimmage at Hill Air Force Base,” said Utah Jazz president Steve Starks. “Sharing our open practice with the servicemen and women is a small way for the Jazz to show our gratitude for the selfless sacrifices they make in serving our country.”
Pretty much everyone from the Jazz organization was on hand Friday, from general manager Dennis Lindsey to the Jazz Dunk Team to the Jazz Dancers to longtime P.A. announcer Dan Roberts.
“I think being at the base is a good thing, that makes it fun for everybody,” said head coach Quin Snyder. “I don’t think we’re trying to do anything in a public way as much as for ourselves. You don’t want to get out of character, that can happen a little bit when the lights come on and it’s not a game, but it’s different.”
ARKANSAS CONNECTION: Joe Johnson said his uncle, Anthony, was in the military so playing at Hill Air Force Base was a special experience for him. Plus he met someone from back home.
“I even saw a guy from Little Rock, where I’m from — and I knew him, too,” Johnson said. “So it was fun we had a great time.”
AUSSIE INTEREST: The Sydney Kings, who are playing the Jazz Monday night, practiced at the University of Utah basketball facility Friday. The official team tweet read, “We had a solid hitout this morning at @utahathletics training court! Unreal facility they have there!”
Media from Australia are very interested in the game and a bunch of media types from Down Under has requested interviews with Aussies Joe Ingles and Dante Exum prior to the game this weekend.
JAZZ NOTES: Monday night’s game against Sydney will mark the first-ever game at the renovated Vivint Arena. The arena’s first function was a concert featuring Tim McGraw and Faith Hill earlier in the week . . . Two other preseason home games will be played Wednesday against Israel’s Maccabi Haifa Wednesday and the Phoenix Suns Friday. Then the Jazz go on the road for games at Phoenix and the Los Angeles Clippers the following Monday and Tuesday . . . The home opener is Wednesday, Oct. 18 against Denver.