Good news, Jazz fans. Carlos Boozer is coming back.
While he won’t be offering his services to the current team, he will be sharing stories from his playing days during an upcoming “Voices” event presented by the Deseret News and Utah Business.
Boozer, who recently published his memoir, “Every Shot Counts,” will also discuss being a parent and published author and will answer questions about these topics and others from attendees.
“With our Voices events, the Deseret News aims to spotlight some of today’s most inspirational and influential voices with strong Utah connections,” said Sally Steed, vice president of sales for the Deseret News. “We’re excited to host Carlos Boozer and hear more about his powerful story, much of which is outlined in his book, “Every Shot Counts.” It promises to be a compelling evening.”
The event will take place Wednesday, Jan. 31, from 7-9 p.m. at Hillcrest Junior High School in Murray, Utah.
Tickets, which are available at voicesutah.com, cost $25 for a general seat and $45 for a photo-op seat. Deseret News readers can get two seats for the price of one with the code DNBOGO.
Boozer was born in Germany but grew up in Juneau, Alaska. There, he became a standout high school basketball star, earning an offer from famed coach Mike Krzyzewski at Duke University. Boozer went on to help the team win the 2001 national championship.
Boozer entered the NBA draft in 2002 after his junior season and was selected 35th overall by the Cleveland Cavaliers.
After two seasons in Cleveland, Boozer signed with the Utah Jazz. He played for Utah from 2004 to 2010, making two All-Star teams and two Olympic teams during that period.
On Feb. 13, 2008, Boozer notched a triple-double for the Jazz against the Seattle SuperSonics. The significance of the moment wasn’t fully understood until this month, when current Jazzman Jordan Clarkson became the first Utah Jazz player to have a triple-double during the regular season since Boozer did it nearly 16 years ago.
“It meant a lot, honestly” Clarkson said of his achievement on Jan. 1. “Seeing all the teams and guys (that have been here), it’s crazy. I played with Carlos Boozer, and it was his old record and it just felt good. This was a very cool little milestone to put on my list.”
Clarkson and Boozer played together for the Los Angeles Lakers during the 2014-15 season, which was Boozer’s last season in the NBA.