Utah Jazz: Ricky Rubio leaves heartfelt note on touching Jae Crowder Instagram post

The Utah Jazz further displayed their camaraderie off the court with a touching social media exchange between Jae Crowder and Ricky Rubio.

The Utah Jazz made a lot of noise this past season and figure to be one of the more daunting squads in the NBA in 2018-19. One big reason for their success, both past and projected, is the fact that they have developed into a tight-knit squad with an exceptional chemistry.

That cohesion shows on the court when they make big-time plays for one another and generally thrive. Their frequent celebrations and shows of excitement for one another when any individual player rises to the occasion are a welcome sight to behold.

And that togetherness extends off the court as well and is clearly evidenced on social media. For the most part, these guys can be found clowning one another with hilarious jabs, entertaining insults and funny videos. Typically, Joe Ingles is the principal naysayer and heckler among them, but guys like Donovan Mitchell, Rudy Gobert and Ricky Rubio do a good job at getting their own jokes in as well.

But their chemistry goes beyond simple words of sarcasm and teasing. It’s quite apparent that these guys are friends who get along with one another on a much more profound level as well. Such was clearly evidenced by a touching Instagram post that Jae Crowder put up on Wednesday that was followed up by a heartfelt comment from teammate Ricky Rubio.

Wednesday, August 22 marked a year that Jae Crowder lost his mother to cancer, and as such, he put up a picture of the two of them, with a nice tribute to her as well–

https://www.instagram.com/p/BmyCRavAWxl/?taken-by=bossmann99

I’m sure most of you reading this post have had to deal with the loss of a loved one. We all know how challenging it can be. For Crowder to have lost his mother so young (on the day he was traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers, no less) is almost an unimaginable experience. The fact that he’s been able to continue onward and perform at such a high level alongside his team in spite of that tragedy is nothing short of amazing.

Despite the sentiment of doubt he expressed in his caption, as many of us would feel when reflecting on the passing of a loved one, I’m sure that his mother misses him as well and is extremely proud of him.

Teammate Ricky Rubio expressed as much, as you can see in the screenshot below from Utah Jazz radio voice David Locke–

Rubio’s message stated, “Stay strong my brother. I know what you are talking about 💪💪💪 we are making them proud 🙏”

Of course, Rubio would be able to sympathize better with Crowder than just about anyone. His mother likewise passed away from cancer in 2016 at just 56 years of age. It’s no wonder then that Rubio would be among the first to come in support and aid to Crowder, and also is a clear reason why Rubio has made ‘5 for the Fight’ and donating money to cancer research such a large focus.

This Jazz team is great for so many reasons. Yes, there’s their electrifying play on the court. And of course their hilarious social media tirades are entertaining as well. But at the end of the day, the brotherhood this team has and their willingness to so openly show how close they are to one another and just how human they are in general is unbelievably refreshing.

This is a tight-knit group full of genuinely good guys, which is just another reason – perhaps one of the greatest reasons – why they’re so easy to cheer for. I’d love nothing more for this incredible squad (both on and off the court) than to see them hoist the Larry O’Brien Trophy in the near future.