Sunday report
For the first time since 2003, the Jazz are holding training camp at their practice facility. Given their weeklong trip to Europe in the preseason, general manager Kevin O'Connor felt it would be too much travel to leave town for camp as well.
It creates a different feel for camp, especially for those of us who liked going to Boise State. The players are free to go home to their families not just every night, but between two-a-day sessions as well.
Deron Williams was enthusiastic about staying home for camp, in particular the whirlpools and cold tubs that weren't available in Boise. "That's tough [not to have] during two-a-days," Williams said.
He also dismissed any concerns about the loss of team bonding, saying most players went back to their hotel rooms and slept after two-a-days in Boise. Now they just go home and do the same thing.
Jazz coach Jerry Sloan acknowledged, "I always thought as a player, I'd rather be at home." With the Jazz having a young team in recent seasons, though, Sloan made the decision to go away for camp.
That the Jazz will host their first preseason game Thursday - - less than a week after starting camp - - also was a consideration. "We're going to be going right off the bat," Sloan said, adding that staying home was easier on the training and equipment staffs.
* * *
The Jazz's trip to Europe is going to be so quick that you might miss it if you blink. They'll have at most two days in London before playing Chicago a week from Tuesday and even less time in Madrid, Spain, before returning home.
Even so, the trip has been a big concern for general manager Kevin O'Connor on down.
"When you take people out of their routine . . . you concern yourself with it," O'Connor said, noting that the Jazz were going to return Oct. 9 and were able to open camp three days early to accommodate the trip.
"We've got enough time to assimilate ourselves back into going on the road, playing back-to-back games, coming back and all that stuff. But you always worry about it."
O'Connor went so far as to say, "You get a little nutty with it," including examining the records of teams that had gone to Europe in previous seasons. The results have been mixed, though Boston did win a championship after holding training camp in Rome.
It's going to be a long month on the road regardless for the Jazz. Even after returning from Europe, the Jazz will play four preseason games on the road - - two in the L.A. shootout hosted by the Lakers, one at Portland and one at Sacramento.
* * *
Kosta Koufos had no complaints about jet lag, even if he was playing for the Greek national team at the European championships in Poland this time last week. He spent not even a full day at home in Canton, Ohio, before arriving in Utah for the start of camp.
Although he saw only limited action and battled stomach flu in the middle of the tournament, the 20-year-old Koufos came home with a bronze medal from his debut with the Greek national team.
"It was a great experience," Koufos said. "I got a lot of games in. It's just a different type of basketball. There was good talent there, a lot of NBA talent playing in the European championships, and I was blessed and fortunate enough to be a part of it."
Added Koufos: "We played well, we played hard, and we turned a lot of heads, because a lot of people didn't think we were going to make the top four, and we did." With its showing, Greece also qualified for next summer's FIBA world championships in Turkey.
After spending two months with the Greek team - - and speaking Greek on the court - - Koufos has had to adjust to playing with the Jazz.
"You've got to adjust quickly, and that's part of the game, too, is adjusting," he said.
* * *
There's one change that jumps out in the Jazz's preseason media guide. For the first time, Gail Miller is included.
The wife of late owner Larry Miller is listed as both the Jazz's owner and chairman of the board; son Greg is the chief executive officer of the Miller group of companies.
From her biography, Gail Miller's accomplishments and civil service include overseeing the Miller family foundation, serving on the Salt Lake Community College board of trustees and being a member of the President's Action Committee of the United Way of Salt Lake.
It also notes that she was named The Tribune's Most Influential Sports Figure of 2009.
--Ross Siler
It creates a different feel for camp, especially for those of us who liked going to Boise State. The players are free to go home to their families not just every night, but between two-a-day sessions as well.
Deron Williams was enthusiastic about staying home for camp, in particular the whirlpools and cold tubs that weren't available in Boise. "That's tough [not to have] during two-a-days," Williams said.
He also dismissed any concerns about the loss of team bonding, saying most players went back to their hotel rooms and slept after two-a-days in Boise. Now they just go home and do the same thing.
Jazz coach Jerry Sloan acknowledged, "I always thought as a player, I'd rather be at home." With the Jazz having a young team in recent seasons, though, Sloan made the decision to go away for camp.
That the Jazz will host their first preseason game Thursday - - less than a week after starting camp - - also was a consideration. "We're going to be going right off the bat," Sloan said, adding that staying home was easier on the training and equipment staffs.
* * *
The Jazz's trip to Europe is going to be so quick that you might miss it if you blink. They'll have at most two days in London before playing Chicago a week from Tuesday and even less time in Madrid, Spain, before returning home.
Even so, the trip has been a big concern for general manager Kevin O'Connor on down.
"When you take people out of their routine . . . you concern yourself with it," O'Connor said, noting that the Jazz were going to return Oct. 9 and were able to open camp three days early to accommodate the trip.
"We've got enough time to assimilate ourselves back into going on the road, playing back-to-back games, coming back and all that stuff. But you always worry about it."
O'Connor went so far as to say, "You get a little nutty with it," including examining the records of teams that had gone to Europe in previous seasons. The results have been mixed, though Boston did win a championship after holding training camp in Rome.
It's going to be a long month on the road regardless for the Jazz. Even after returning from Europe, the Jazz will play four preseason games on the road - - two in the L.A. shootout hosted by the Lakers, one at Portland and one at Sacramento.
* * *
Kosta Koufos had no complaints about jet lag, even if he was playing for the Greek national team at the European championships in Poland this time last week. He spent not even a full day at home in Canton, Ohio, before arriving in Utah for the start of camp.
Although he saw only limited action and battled stomach flu in the middle of the tournament, the 20-year-old Koufos came home with a bronze medal from his debut with the Greek national team.
"It was a great experience," Koufos said. "I got a lot of games in. It's just a different type of basketball. There was good talent there, a lot of NBA talent playing in the European championships, and I was blessed and fortunate enough to be a part of it."
Added Koufos: "We played well, we played hard, and we turned a lot of heads, because a lot of people didn't think we were going to make the top four, and we did." With its showing, Greece also qualified for next summer's FIBA world championships in Turkey.
After spending two months with the Greek team - - and speaking Greek on the court - - Koufos has had to adjust to playing with the Jazz.
"You've got to adjust quickly, and that's part of the game, too, is adjusting," he said.
* * *
There's one change that jumps out in the Jazz's preseason media guide. For the first time, Gail Miller is included.
The wife of late owner Larry Miller is listed as both the Jazz's owner and chairman of the board; son Greg is the chief executive officer of the Miller group of companies.
From her biography, Gail Miller's accomplishments and civil service include overseeing the Miller family foundation, serving on the Salt Lake Community College board of trustees and being a member of the President's Action Committee of the United Way of Salt Lake.
It also notes that she was named The Tribune's Most Influential Sports Figure of 2009.
--Ross Siler
3:58 PM
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