Utah Jazz: Building my ultimate Jazz BIG3 3-on-3 squad
By Ryan Aston
If I were fielding a team of Utah Jazz alums in an effort to win the next BIG3 season, here’s how I would round out the crew.
Without question, the summer season is the wasteland of the professional basketball calendar. Sure, we have the NBA Finals in June, after which the Draft and free agency come in short order. But if you’re a fan of the Utah Jazz or any of the league’s other 29 teams, there’s not much to look forward to beyond that.
However, there is something of a hardwood oasis that begins in July and is sure to get even the most hardcore hoopster through the dog days of the NBA offseason.
I’m not talking about summer league, either. I mean, let’s face it — it’s horrible to watch at the best of times.
The BIG3 basketball league, founded in 2017 by Ice Cube (yes, that Ice Cube) is a 3-on-3 league featuring former NBA stars and 4-point shot zones. And if you’re a fan of old school hoops, it’s the thing to watch once summer hits.
Where else can you watch Amar’e Stoudemire attack the rim like it’s 2007? Or, if you’re me, delight in seeing guys like Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf — whose shooting exhibitions against the Stockton-to-Malone Jazz of the ’90s were always must-see TV — out on the court and ballin’ out?
Speaking of the Jazz, BIG3 ball is littered with former Jazzmen. Most notable among them are Carlos Boozer, who’s rolling with Ricky Davis and Mike Bibby on the Ghost Ballers and DeShawn Stevenson, who leads the Ball Hogs into battle.
Watching them play, though, I can’t help but wonder what an All-Jazz BIG3 squad would look like. So, I’ve decided to compile my dream lineup of former Jazzmen to take the crown. It’s high time the Jazz won a championship of some kind, right?
Here’s the crew I came up with…