SALT LAKE CITY — The Utah Jazz couldn’t beat the Chicago Bulls for an NBA championship in the late 1990s as fans are painfully being reminded weekly with the airing of Michael Jordan’s documentary “The Last Dance.”
But the 1996-97 Jazz did just receive a consolation prize.
Utah’s first NBA Finals team has been recognized as the best NBA team to not win a championship by SBNation.com.
“Congratulations, John Stockton and Karl Malone. You (kinda) have a ring now!” Basketball writer Mike Prada wrote in the final article of a two-week-long series. “We’re sure you feel so much better!”
Probably not, but at least the Jazz duo and their team garnered some respect 23 years after losing back-to-back championships to the Bulls.
The nonchampion champion was determined through a process that included 64 teams throughout NBA history. After being nominated, fans voted and teams went through seven-game series simulations on WhatIfSports.com.
The Jazz beat the 2015 Grizzlies, the 2005 Suns, the 2018 Rockets and the 2002 Kings to make the Titleless Title game.
Utah then defeated the 1995 Magic — a team that featured Penny Hardaway and Shaquille O’Neal — for all of the very valuable marbles.
So, Jazz fans … congratulations?
AGGIE HERO
Just over a decade ago, Nnamdi Gwacham used his athleticism to compete for Utah State in football and track. Now the Aggie alumnus, an OB-GYN chief resident at Saint Barnabas Medical Center in Livingston, New Jersey, is helping combat the coronavirus pandemic as a health worker.
Gwacham’s efforts were highlighted in an article on his former school’s website as part of a series to honor Aggie heroes who are on “the frontlines of the pandemic.”
Gwacham called the pandemic “horrific.”
“These were supposed to be the last few months of residency for me, which were meant to be filled with events for our graduating residents,” he said in the Q&A. “Instead, given the surge of sick patients and limited resources, even some of our OB-GYN residents have been tasked to help out the ICU efforts. Things like routine elective surgeries are now on hold while our resources have been shifted to tackle the pandemic.”
AND FINALLY …
Check out this classic TV clip that shows Jim Nantz interviewing John Stockton, Bobby Hansen, Rich Kelly and Pace Mannion in a hot tub during the 1985 playoffs.