The J-Notes
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Utah Jazz: 10 Jazzmen whose numbers should at least be considered for retirement

By Ryan Aston

SALT LAKE CITY, UT - APRIL 14: Larry H. Miller #9 Jersey is displayed during a retirement half time event to honor Larry H. Miller former Owner of the Utah Jazz at EnergySolutions Arena on April 14, 2010 in Salt Lake City, Utah. Copyright 2010 NBAE (Photo by Melissa Majchrzak/NBAE via Getty Images)*** Local Caption ***
SALT LAKE CITY, UT - APRIL 14: Larry H. Miller #9 Jersey is displayed during a retirement half time event to honor Larry H. Miller former Owner of the Utah Jazz at EnergySolutions Arena on April 14, 2010 in Salt Lake City, Utah. Copyright 2010 NBAE (Photo by Melissa Majchrzak/NBAE via Getty Images)*** Local Caption *** /
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Thurl Bailey Utah Jazz
TOKYO, JAPAN – NOVEMBER 2: Thurl Bailey #41 of the Utah Jazz shoots against the Phoenix Suns during a game played on November 2, 1990 at the Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium in Tokyo, Japan. Copyright 1990 NBAE (Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images) /

Thurl Bailey (No. 41)

Memo may be my sentimental favorite, but if there’s one player here who I’m shocked didn’t see their number raised like 15 years ago, it’s Thurl Bailey.

Big T was low-key one of the Association’s best frontcourt ballers and a crucial piece to the Jazz for a decade. He probably starts for just about any other team in the league throughout the ’80s and early ’90s, but ended up playing second fiddle to the greatest power forward of all-time instead.

Nevertheless, the man in the goggles was a cornerstone piece to the Jazz as they transitioned from cellar-dwelling to title contention.

And he did so largely as a bench player. All told, he spent 10 seasons in a Jazz uniform and played in 708 games, starting just 29 percent of them despite averaging 14 points and nearly six rebounds per contest.

At one point, Bailey even locked consecutive campaigns of averaging nearly 20 points per game (19.5 and 19.6 ppg in ’87-88 and ’88-89, respectively). He started just 13 of 164 games over that span.

Following a trade to the Minnesota Timberwolves in the early 90s, Big T eventually returned to close out his career with the Jazz during the ’98-99 season. He’s been a fixture with the team ever since as an important part of Jazz television and radio broadcasts.

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