Former NBA Commissioner David Stern had some high praise for the passionate Utah Jazz fanbase in a recent interview.
To those that haven’t experienced a Utah Jazz game live, especially during the playoffs, they may balk at the notion that the team boasts one of, if not the, best fanbase in the NBA, or perhaps in all of professional sports. But for those of us who have been a part of it and have had the fortune of comparing that environment to other arenas, we all know it’s a very real possibility.
Jazz fans are rabidly passionate about their team, and they’ll stop at nothing to support them to the bitter end, raising the roof and bringing the noise game in and game out. Combine that with an above-average altitude, a team that’s known for playing gritty defense and a consistently high attendance, and you’ve got yourself a great fanbase and atmosphere.
And apparently, a man who knows a thing or two about the NBA and has been able to attend dozens upon dozens of games agrees that Jazz fans are among the best. The man I speak of is none other than former NBA Commissioner David Stern.
In a recent interview with the Big East Conference, David Stern was asked a series of questions about the NBA, in which he named the Utah Jazz as the best fanbase in the league. His exact quote was, “We’ve got some crazy fanbases all over but they’re about as intense as it comes in Utah.”
See it for yourself in the clip below–
https://twitter.com/BIGEAST/status/1039656574422265857
As I mentioned, this is quite the compliment coming from someone as seasoned as Stern. And you won’t find any arguments from me. Us Jazz fans definitely are about as intense as they come. And you can bet that we’ll be ready to prove it in what should be an exhilarating 2018-19 season.
In the interview, Stern also pinned Bankers Life Fieldhouse (which will be undergoing a name change soon) in Indianapolis as his favorite arena to watch a game in and Magic Johnson as his favorite player to watch.
Stern is far from the first to praise Indiana’s arena as a great venue and of course Magic Johnson is a legend, so it’s pretty cool for the Jazz fanbase to be included in that mix.
Jazz fans have seen some pretty awesome basketball played on their home court, from the days of John Stockton and Karl Malone to Deron Williams and Carlos Boozer, to now witnessing the rise of Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert. I have a feeling that one day in the not-too-distant future, this passionate fanbase will be greatly rewarded for their unrelenting pride and support.