How do the Utah Jazz compare to their purple predecessors?

SALT LAKE CITY, UT - OCTOBER 26: Rudy Gobert #27 of the Utah Jazz warms up before a game against the Sacramento Kings at Vivint Smart Home Arena on October 26, 2019 in Salt Lake City, Utah. (Photo by Alex Goodlett/Getty Images)
SALT LAKE CITY, UT - OCTOBER 26: Rudy Gobert #27 of the Utah Jazz warms up before a game against the Sacramento Kings at Vivint Smart Home Arena on October 26, 2019 in Salt Lake City, Utah. (Photo by Alex Goodlett/Getty Images)
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Utah Jazz, purple jerseys
SALT LAKE CITY, UT – MAY 19: Karl Malone of the Utah Jazz holds the Maurice Podoloff Trophy for being named the NBA’s Most Valuable PLayer 19 May before game one of the Western Conference championships against the Houston Rockets at The Delta Center in Salt Lake City, Utah. (ELECTRONIC IMAGE) (Photo credit should read DOUG COLLIER/AFP via Getty Images)

The Accolades

The Utah Jazz have never been in the limelight of the NBA as far as awards, and it takes years of quality work to get a little recognition for our players. However, the purple mountain era does have some hardware to show off.

Karl Malone won both of his MVP awards when the Jazz were rocking the purple mountain-themed jerseys.

This year Mitchell is a dark horse for that award, according to Bleacher Report.

Through the first 14 games, the 1996-97 Jazz were 12-2. They went on to win 64 games as the first seed in the West.

The current Jazz are 9-5, and shooting for 64 wins seems like a long shot for anyone in the NBA this year. They are still only projected to win 48 games this year according to Basketball Reference, but that number should go up once the schedule induces less travel on the players.

Stockton and Malone were All-Stars. Could Gobert and Mitchell both play in the Sunday night special this February? We are yet to see that happen, but that would be great for both players.

Jeff Hornacek won two 3-point shootouts in the purple-mountain era, and Russell was a participant in 2001. No Jazzman has participated since then, but perhaps Bogdanovic could be the one to snap that streak.