Top 5 NBA draft picks in Utah Jazz history
By John Canady
2. John Stockton
John Stockton was selected with the 16th pick in the 1984 NBA Draft by the Utah Jazz. In a loaded draft class with the likes of Michael Jordan, Hakeem Olajuwon, Charles Barkeley, and more, Stockton lived up to the hype of the draft class and is remembered as one of the greatest point guards in NBA history.
The 6-foot-1 guard was one of the best combo guards to play the game. Not only could Stockton break down a defense with his elite passing skills, but his offensive scoring game was severely underrated. The Gonzaga alum averaged double-digit scoring in all but three seasons, which came at the beginning of his career. Outside of the scoring, Stockton’s passing allowed him to claim the top spot in assists in NBA history with 15,806 assists.
In his career, Stockton averaged 13.1 points, 10.5 assists, and 2.7 rebounds across 1,504 games with the Jazz. Aside from his impressive stats, Stockton added multiple accolades to an already solid NBA career. The guard was a 10-time All-Star (including an All-Star MVP award), an 11-time All-NBA team member, a five-time All-Defensive Second Team member, a nine-time NBA assists leader, and the list goes on.