It is in my mind that defense wins championships. The Utah Jazz do not have any championships to speak of, which is why only two of the players on their top five defensive list are in the Hall of Fame. In order to qualify for this list, you have to have played significant time with the Jazz, been a starter, and I’m not paying too much attention to advanced stats, otherwise, Otto Moore and Ekpe Udoh would be on here, which is just ridiculous.
Defensive Player of the Year wins and All-Defensive team nods help out a lot, but individual stats help, too. Scottie Pippen never won a Defensive Player of the Year, but if he were a Jazzman, his other accolades would certainly snag him the number one spot.
The Utah Jazz did not have Scottie Pippen, so don’t expect any champions to be on this list. That being said, some of the greatest defenders to ever play the game suited up for the Jazz, so despite some players falling flat in Hall of Fame voting, there are plenty of well-known, big names to be had on this list. From Jazz legends to household names across America, let’s look at the five best defenders in Jazz history.
#5: Karl Malone – 4x All-Defensive
Karl Malone was never the best defender in the league by any margin, but of course, the best Jazzman in history will find his way on most all-time lists. Malone is the franchise leader in defensive win shares, second in steals, and fifth in blocks. He never led the league in any of those categories, but with a resumé like that, he’s a lock on the list.
Granted, the number five spot is always up for grabs, as current players can gun for it, but with over 2,000 career steals, I think his spot is safe for now.
Longevity is of course a factor. With 18 seasons, only Stockton passes him for more in Salt Lake City. Malone made the most of it, cementing his legacy as one of the best defenders in franchise history.