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Rudy Gobert "Greatest Jazz Center of All Time" Countdown Thread

Jazz also had some decent guys who were PF/C's but only played a short time (the Brown Bear, the Big Dog). Hey, just by signing his contract, Gobert passed up Rony Seikaly. So Whitehead and Araujo are up next. Fesenko has to be coming up pretty soon too.
 
#40 Jerome Whitehead
Points 67
Rebounds 97
Blocks 11
Steals 7
Assists 18

Entered the NBA as a second round pick of the San Diego Clippers at a lanky 6'10" right after winning an NCAA championship with Marquette in 1977. Jerome had a Journeyman 11 year career in the NBA with a stopover with the Utah Jazz in 1979. In his 11 year career, Jerome only made the playoffs once. He passed away relatively young in 2012 from complications due to a lifetime of alcohol abuse.

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this is like deja-vu. NO not the porn star, the real deja-vu, like............... didn't we just talk about this??? That's it, I'm going to quit my job tomorrow and go and build the greatest invention you've ever seen!! It's called a roller coaster..... I'm gonna be famous.
 
Hey framer, absolutely magnificent thread. Like it a lot and I believe Rudy will make it to the top 10 eventually. I have a suggestion for you. You can add to post #1 the name and stats of the "next" guy on the list so we can all monitor and be excited towards the next benchmark of the journey.
Again - great thread. Thanks.
 
#39 Rafael Araújo
Points 83
Rebounds 77
Blocks 2
Steals 7
Assists 11

The moment that many have been waiting for, Rudy Gobert has eclipsed the legend of Araujo. Araujo was a standout at BYU and was drafted, inexplicably, by the Boston Celtics at 8. Being too uncoordinated and slow to succeed at the NBA level where his superior mass was equalized, it became quickly apparent in Boston that he wasn't going to pan out. So in what some would consider one of the greatest tragedies in the Modern Jazz era, Araujo was traded for Bobby Williams and Kris Humphries. Arujo immediately found a place in Jerry Sloan's doghouse and remained there until he was let go at the end of the season. Realistically Rafael should be ranked lower, but I gave him a bump based on a summer league altercation with superpunk Marvin Williams. Whatever happened to THAT guy!?

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#38 Billy Paultz
Points 89
Rebounds 104
Blocks 12
Steals 7
Assists 18

Paultz was an NBA veteran and played 8 years in the NBA out of St. John's. He played his final year in Utah in 1984 and is important as a milestone to show Utah fans everywhere just how bad Houston sucks. They still suck today. In the 1985 playoffs, The scrappy Utah Jazz defeated the Houston Rockets in an upset in game 5. As a part of the game, Paultz was able to get under the skin of Houston's Hakeem Olajuwon with his tenacious defense until "The Dream" actually hit Paultz in the mouth. Like this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0VtrIz4ROC0
Amazingly, Olajuwon wasn't even ejected but stayed on the court to be defeated by rejuvenated Paultz and company in what would become a glorious tradition of sending Houston home. Also, it has to be noted that Paultz's nickname was "The Whopper," which drives my estimation of him up further. Who DOESN"T want to be known as "The Whopper." Here's to you Mr. The Whopper!
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#37 Steve Hayes
Points 92
Rebounds 78
Blocks 17
Steals 5
Assists 7

Let's try that again: When I mentioned Jeff Cook being the pride of Idaho State University, I neglected Steve Hayes who is their most legendary player. All he did in college was keep UCLA out of their 11th consecutive final 4 by defeating them in the Sweet 16 in 1977, scoring 27 points and 12 rebounds. This 7 footer had a 13 year pro career internationally, in the NBA, and in the CBA. He completed his NBA stint on the Utah Jazz, where centers apparently go to die, in 85-86. He has since worked in the athletic department at Idaho State, had his own IT firm, and is secretary of the NBA retired players association (Big T is vice chairman.) He was inducted into the state of Idaho's athletic hall of fame. This was the only pathetic pic I could find of him playing basketball:
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Wow, I don't remember Steve Hayes playing for the Jazz. In fact, I don't remember ever hearing his name. Sorry, Mr. Hayes, sounds like you had a good career.
 
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