New Look Jazz!

by Jefferson W. Boswell

Justin Bieber...err...Andrei Kirilenko greeting past and present teammate Raja Bell (AP Photo/George Frey)

The MLB playoffs are right around the corner and the hunt for October is in full swing.  College campus are rocking on Saturdays as football rivalries heat up.  The NFL has kicked off and the talk around the water-cooler has settled on fantasy stats and schedules.

To add to the joy that is Fall, the new look Utah Jazz held their annual media day as a final stepping stone to training camp.  Arguably the most consistent and steady team in the league, traditionally retro-Utah showcased a bevy of new talent, not to mention some slick new (throwback-style) duds.

The newcomers include:

“BIG” AL JEFFERSON

I’ve never been more excited to start a training camp.  Training camp is always been something that you want to skip but I’m so excited.  D-Williams is Batman [author: does that make Big Al sidekick Robin…Halloween costumes already in the works? What are the chances that Jerry Sloan would play Alfred?] – I’m here to do whatever he want me to do to help us win.

"I go from being in a Toyota to a Bentley. It’s a beautiful thing" (AP Photo/George Frey)

RAJA BELL

[I]f you want to win, there are very few franchises that have a winning record like the Jazz do. If you want a community to support you, I challenge you to go somewhere and find people that support you more than the Jazz fans do…I think we can challenge anybody in the West.  That’s me saying it: I’m an ultra competitor.  But I don’t think that’s far-fetched.  I think we have a lot of talent. I think we’re deep. …So, I’m not blowing smoke when I say we can be a really good team. I think we can play with anybody

(Francisco Kjolseth/SL Tribune)

ROOKIE GORDON HAYWARD

To be honest, when you first walk in and it’s Deron Williams right there, you get a little bit like ‘Oh my gosh, it’s Deron Williams’ [author’s note: pretty sure I’d have the same reaction]

I know it’s going to be a journey, adjustment and a challenge, but like I said I’m excited to work hard and play at the next level.

Happy to repost this pic! (Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBE/Getty Images)

Others joining the Jazz at training camp include Francisco Elson (C, formerly of the Bucks), Earl Watson (G, formerly of the Pacers), Ryan Thompson (rookie SG from Rider), Jeremy Evan (rookie F from Western Kentucky), and Demetris Nichols (F, played professionally in France last year).

(AP Photo/George Frey)

DERON WILLIAMS, playing the part of the pessimist/realist:

We still have to get together and play. We’re not going to know until we get together and play as a team and hopefully we gel quickly.

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Contact Jefferson W. Boswell at jeffersonboz AT gmail DOT com