Are the Utah Jazz cool?

You know in the movies when the nerdy ugly kids miraculously transform into the hot, cool kids that everyone wants to be friends with? Don’t look now, but the Utah Jazz are becoming that kid. After years and years of being under-publicized and overlooked, typical occurrences in the NBA ‘small market’ world, the Jazz are cool again.

The NBA announced it’s first slate of opening games yesterday afternoon, and they couldn’t go without putting the Jazz on national display for the world to see. The Jazz will take on the defending champion Golden State Warriors in Salt Lake City during NBA opening week, and like the kids say, it’s gonna be lit.

If opening night isn’t enough to convince you that the Jazz are cool again, for the first time in 20 years, the Jazz are playing on national TV on Christmas Day. How cool is that? Most of the players on the team were just little boys the last time the Jazz suited up on December 25th. Only ten teams were selected to play on Christmas, and the Jazz made the list (pun intended)

The Jazz players are all pretty excited about this, especially Donovan Mitchell, who had a prophetic tweet last Christmas about him wanting to play on that day in the future.

Who’s to thank for all of the national publicity? The first thing to pop into everyone’s heads should be Donovan Mitchell. Spida has brought truckloads of national attention to the Jazz franchise in the single year that he has been a part of it. His incredible basketball talent, and his amazing off-court charm have been the target of national NBA news several times, and Donovan has taken advantage of that for both himself and his team.

But don’t get caught up in thinking it’s just because of Donovan Mitchell. The Jazz are good. Rudy Gobert is the reigning Defensive Player of the Year, and proven to be one of the fiercest competitors in the entire league. Quin Snyder was the Coach of the Year runner-up last season, and had the Jazz playing like a top 5 team. Add in the personalities of Joe Ingles, Ricky Rubio, Dante Exum, etc, and this team is legit a very watchable organization.

The Jazz are entering this season with probably the most hype they have had since Karl Malone and John Stockton. It’s pretty crazy to think, but legends have that type of effect. With all of the publicity and attention that has surrounded Donovan Mitchell this off-season, legendary status is only a few seasons away for the young kid. Expectations are high, but it’s the only way you grow into a championship team. Whether you like it or not, the Utah Jazz are cool again, and the world should cherish that.

Since it’s NBA Assists Week (who knew that was even a thing, lol) we are being blessed with multitudes of dope passes courtesy of Utah Jazz players.

Can’t wait to see more of those passes in a few months (71 days to be exact, not that I’m counting or anything)

In case you missed it, hot-take personality Colin Cowherd called out Joe Ingles the other day saying he “couldn’t defend a barstool”. Well, we all know the truth, but this video produced by Matthew Glade made my day yesterday.

It’s time that we start to formally recognize Donovan Mitchell and his girlfriend Deja Lighty as Utah’s premier power couple.

I’m really hoping they make it, because it might be too much to handle if they break up. These two seem to be a great couple and both of them look like they enjoy their time in Utah. Could it be that we witness their marriage? Nothing but respect for my royal couple.

Happy Birthday (yesterday) to the woman behind the Mailman, Kay Malone.

She’s still an avid Jazz fan and as cool as ever, so we wish her a happy birthday and plenty more to come.