Utah Jazz hodgepodge: Trevor Booker plays HORSE with random people

A flashback to former Utah Jazz forward and cult hero Trevor Booker taking his game to the streets of NYC. Also — Royce O’Neale is all-in on NBA 2K20.

So, it’s early September and NBA training camps are still a few weeks away. Thankfully, us Utah Jazz fans have Donovan Mitchell, Rudy Gobert and Joe Ingles in the FIBA World Cup to keep our hoops flow strong. Other than that, though, this is the dead zone of the Jazz offseason (and, let’s face it — how many of us are really getting up in the middle of the night to watch World Cup games on ESPN+?)

Given the dearth of basketball going, there’s no time like the present for a check-in with one of our old faves. Namely, former Jazz forward, entrepreneur and breakfast cereal enthusiast Trevor Booker.

On Thursday, the Whistle Sports Network posted a compilation video of pro athletes taking on average Joes in their respective sports on YouTube. First up on the mix is a little diddy from 2017 featuring Booker (then of the Brooklyn Nets) taking on all comers on the streets of New York in games of H.O.R.S.E.

The results were, well…predictable —

Of course, Booker famously made an incredible H.O.R.S.E. shot during an actual NBA game while with the Jazz — and they run it back in the Whistle video.

All in all, this was a good reminder of the cool demeanor Booker brought to the table in the 801.

More from The J-Notes

• With the FIBA World Cup over for Simone Fontecchio, it’s clear he deserves minutes for the Utah Jazz
• Best, Worst and Most likely scenarios for the Utah Jazz this season
• Hoops Hype downplays the significance of the Utah Jazz’s valuable assets
• 3 Utah Jazz players who have the most to gain or lose this season
• Former Utah Jazz forward Rudy Gay is a free agent still and it shouldn’t surprise anyone

These days, Booker is putting his best foot forward to get himself back into the Association after a year spent briefly testing the basketball waters in China before rehabbing a foot injury. Per HoopsHype’s Alex Kennedy, he’s worked out for the Denver Nuggets, LA Clippers and Milwaukee Bucks this summer.

Without question, the league just isn’t the same without Booker in it. NBA GMs, give this man a job, please.

Elsewhere on the “ain’t nothin’ goin’ on” front, current Jazz forward Royce O’Neale has let it be known via Twitter that he is officially on incommunicado status.

The reason: NBA 2K20 is here. So, don’t call or text him —

NBA 2K20 officially dropped on all platforms on Friday. So, if going down Trevor Booker YouTube rabbit holes isn’t getting you going, maybe that will.

It’s a particularly good 2K year for Jazz fans; our team is among the highest-rated clubs in the game in terms of average player ratings.