Utah Jazz ’17-18 review: David Stockton and the nostalgia factor

Despite only playing in three games, David Stockton provided Utah Jazz fans with a glimpse into the past. His statistical contributions to the team might not have been significant, but it was meaningful for fans to see him on the court.

It’s not every day that the son of a Hall of Famer gets the chance to sign with his father’s former team, but for David Stockton, that dream came true. On March 17th he would sign his first 10-day contract with the Utah Jazz. Shortly after, they gave him a second 10-day contract, and eventually signed him through the rest of the season.

Stockton only saw the floor in three games during the ’17-18 season, and in those games, he averaged three minutes. That said, having David Stockton around was exciting for Jazz fans who used to see his father, John Stockton, run the point alongside Karl Malone in the ’90s.

Unfortunately, the first time David checked into a game as a member of the Jazz, it was an away game; however, it was still an awesome sight.

Given his limited playing time while with the Jazz, it’s more than likely that Stockton will not be in the team’s long-term plans. He has spent most of his career in the G-League where he has found relative success with the Reno Bighorns (soon to be named the Stockton Kings, ironically enough).

During his time there, David has shown that his skillset is similar to his father’s, but to a lesser extent. That isn’t necessarily a knock on David, as being the son of John Stockton sets the bar pretty high.

The Future of David Stockton

Could David Stockton be part of Utah’s plans going forward? It’s possible, but not likely. He joined the team late in the year, played in three games, and for a total of nine minutes. It’s hard to gauge a player’s worth with such a small sample size. More than likely he will return to the G-League, but perhaps he can continue to improve and work his way back onto a big league roster. From his exit interview, he sounds grateful for his opportunity this year, and it appears that he’s looking to improve over the summer.

The value of Stockton’s time on the Jazz during the ’17-18 season can’t be told through statistics. He was only here for a brief time, but he showed that he was a good teammate as well as a hard worker. Yes, he did afford Jazz fans the chance to see “Stockton” on the back of a jersey one more time, but he also proved to be his own person.

Next: Utah Jazz ’17-18 review: Donovan Mitchell. Enough said.

We weren’t able to see much of David Stockton on the court this season, but perhaps that will change in years to come.