Confidence
The first of these all-important 3 C’s was one that is an absolute must in basketball – Confidence. Now, as I alluded to at the start of this piece, just about every team in the league is going to exhibit at least some amount of confidence at the prospect and opportunity of a new season. Some of that confidence is forced or unwarranted whereas in other cases it’s very much justified.
Fortunately for the Jazz, while the former has often been true in years past, this time around the latter is very much the case.
This revamped squad has every reason to be confident and believe in their chances at success as they are constructed to be one of the most dynamic and difficult to contain teams in the league. Already a staunch defense, they should remain elite in that area thanks largely to the continued presence of Rudy Gobert, but by adding Mike Conley and Bojan Bogdanovic, solid defenders in their own right, they’ll take a massive stride on offense as well.
There were a couple quotes that truly stood out to me showcasing this group’s confidence. One came from Bogdanovic himself who stated that this is “probably the best team ever been a part of.”
Bojan: "This is probably the best team I've ever been a part of. … We're all looking to the playoffs."
— Eric Walden (@tribjazz) September 30, 2019
Meanwhile, Emmanuel Mudiay spoke of Quin Snyder’s belief both in him and in the team as a whole. As respected as Quin already is among his players, that belief is certain to spread throughout the team.
Emmanuel Mudiay: Quin has told him he needs to improve defensively, even if it's just small plays such as fighting over screens more, diving for loose balls. "He definitely believes in me, so I believe in myself."
— Eric Walden (@tribjazz) September 30, 2019
Meanwhile, everyone from Dennis Lindsey to Quin Snyder to newly added veterans Ed Davis and Jeff Green touched on how exciting this team is set to be with pieces that are focused on winning and that should be effective as they come together to accomplish a common goal.
Snyder on balancing touches: "I don't want anybody to defer to anyone." Says he wants guys to be confident and play in concert, which will develop its own hierarchy and how to complement each other.
— Ben Dowsett (@Ben_Dowsett) September 30, 2019
Make no mistake about it, this group is as confident as they come. And not in a phony or unjustified way, but rather in that they feel they’ve assembled a group that will be as competitive as can be. Basketball is a game wherein confidence and self-belief are of the utmost importance and it’s evident that this year’s rendition of the Jazz will not be lacking in that department whatsoever.