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15 Days, a busy day, rivalry game and lots of Jazz men.

mellow

Well-Known Member
#15

Bud Stallworth (1975-1977)
Andre Wakefield (1980)
Eric Johnson (1990)
Corey Crowder (1992)
Jamie Watson (1995-1997)
Danny Manning (2001)
Matt Harpring (2003-2009)
Sundiata Gaines (2010)
Derrick Favors (2011-2012)
 
At #15 in the Jazz All-time ranks:

Games: Bobby Hansen (471)
Minutes: Paul Millsap (12,446)
Points: Paul Millsap (5,578)
Rebounds: Matt Harpring (2,325) - extra-fantastic since he wore #15.
Assists: Memo (919)
Steals: Big T Thurl Bailey (365)
Blocks: Jeff Wilkins (236)
 
I'm going to do one post about each player who wore 15 (in separate posts as I'm a post whore)

Bud Stallworth averaged right around 15 mpg in his two seasons with Seattle before the Jazz took him in the expansion draft. In his first season with Jazz (1974-75), Stallworth averaged about 15 points per 36 minutes. In 1974-75, the Jazz ranked 15th in FGs and opponent FGs. In 1975-76, the Jazz again ranked 15th in FGs (as well as opponent blocks). In 1976-77 (Stallworth's last season in the NBA), the Jazz ranked 15th in FG% and opponent FTs and opponent FTAs.
 
Like Bud Stallworth, Andre Wakefield ended his NBA career with the Jazz by playing 8 games with the team in 1979-80. He had 15 FGs and 15 points. Even though Wakefield didn't contribute much (he was waived in late November 1979) the Jazz ranked 15th in 3-point attempts and blocks that season.
 
These three guys were the --overhyped, if only they got a chance to play, could be the next big thing-- players from my early jazz fanhood.

Eric Johnson 89-90, is the younger brother of Vinnie Johnson, yes that Vinnie Johnson from Detroit. He joined the Jazz just after the pistons had won their first championship, and vinnie the Microwave was known for providing instant offense off the bench behind Dumars and Thomas. I had visions of championships with Johnson spelling Stockton ( instead of Les or Rudd) or maybe even playing along side Stockton in place of aging and increasingly ineffective Golden Griff, and the inconsistent Hansen. Johnson was the primary back-up for the first part of the season, and even got the start when stockton was out in the 9th game against Orlando. He had a miseralbe shooting night, but finished with 8 assists in 21 minutes, and the jazz lost.

He started the next game too, against the Magic Johnson Lakers, as a rookie with less than 85 minutes of NBA experience the lakers chewed him up, he ended up playing just 10 minutes and another Rookie, Delany Rudd, who was 27 years old and had played overseas for 3 seasons came in for 36 minutes and led teh jazz to defeat. Delaney won the back-up job and Johnson never saw significant minutes again until February when Utah got blown out in Detroit (115-83), his brother Vinnie scored 15pts off the bench for Detroit.

Corey Crowder (1992) A 6-5 215 shooting gaurd was an undrafted rookie on a team with three other rookies (Murdock, Austin, and undrafted David Benoit) Crowder played limited minutes in 51 games (15 reversed), but shot a team high .433 from 3pt probably why Jerry played him rarely and Corey was not brought back the next year. Corey's son was drafted #34 by Dallas in the 2012 draft. Corey is a succesful businessman and owner of Crowder Financial Group.

Jamie Watson (1995-1997) On the day before the 15th of November 1994 the 6-7, 198 lb rookie was inserted into the starting line up of the struggling Jazz for an injured Jeff Hornacheck. Jerry's plan was probably to let the rookie play for a few minutes and then bring in Walter Bond to play the bulk of the game. However Jamie ended up playing 32 energy filled minutes and was one missed ft away from 15 pts on 6-7 shooting and a legend one was born. Perhaps no other Jazz player has ever capitalized on a single game performance more than Jamie Watson unless it was......

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Eric Johnson began and ended his NBA career with the Jazz, lasting one season. His other connection to #15 is that he is the brother of the far-more successful Vinnie Johnson, who wore #15 during almost all of his career. Vinnie's career PER was just about 15 (15.2). In Eric Johnson's lone season, the Jazz ranked 15th in the league in points.

EDIT: Also, see mellow's post above.
 
As not mentioned by mellow, Corey Crowder made 15 FTs in his season with the Jazz (out of 18 attempts for a good percentage). In Crowder's season with the Jazz the team was 15th in the league in opponent 3P%.
 
Jamie Watson had 15 blocks in his time with the Jazz. In his first full season with the Jazz in 1994-95, the Jazz were ranked 15th in opponent blocks. In 1995-96, his only other full year with the Jazz, the Jazz were 15th in defensive rebounds and total rebounds. For the second year in a row they were also 15th in opponent blocks. Watson would go on to have 15 defensive rebounds and 15 turnovers with the Mavs in 10 games in 1996-97 after being waived by the Jazz. Watson also had a total of 15 points and assists in the 1995 playoffs.
 
Sundiata Gaines is best remembered by Jazz fans for his game-winner against Cleveland, but his season-high in points came later against Washington when he scored 15. He also added 2 rebounds, 2 assists and a steal with 2 turnovers.
 
In Danny Manning's lone season with the Jazz (2000-01), he played 15(.9) minutes per game. In 1999, Manning was traded (along with an aging Dale Ellis) from the Orlando Magic to the Milwaukee Bucks in exchange for Chris Gatling and Armen Gilliam. Gatling wore #15 with the Heat and the Nets. Armen Gilliam would later finish his career with the Jazz, but we'll get to talk about him later in the countdown.
 
Matt Harpring had the longest tenure with the Jazz of anyone to wear #15 (although I think many of us would like Favors to take the top spot). Harpring was the 15th pick in the 1999 draft. In both 2003-04 and 2004-05, Harpring averaged very close to 15 points per 36 minutes. In the 2004-05 season with the Jazz (and overall for his career), Harpring's PER was around 15. He signed with the Jazz on August 15, 2002.

EDIT: As noted above, Harpring also ranks #15 on the Jazz all-time rebounding list with 2,325 rebounds.
 
In his time with the Jazz, Derrick Favors has averaged very close to 15 points per 36 minutes. He had 15 FGs against the Spurs last year in the playoffs. Twice Favors has gotten more than 15 rebounds. He has scored exactly 15 points in 2 NBA games: April 26, 2012 against Portland and May 5, 2012 in game 3 against the Spurs. He was born July 15, 1991. Prior to coming to the Jazz, Favors was constantly involved in trade rumors in the Nets' pursuit of Carmelo Anthony, who wore #15 with the Nuggets.
 
In their 15th season in the league (1988-89), the Jazz had 15 players that saw game action. Jose Ortiz started in 15 games. Big T Thurl Bailey put up 15(.5) FGAs per game. Mark Eaton came up one short of 15 blocks on February 18, 1989 against the Spurs. 15 is the single-game record, shared by Manute Bol (who did it twice) and Shaq. The Jazz won their 15th game of the season, which was Frank Layden's second-to-last win as coach of the Jazz. The Jazz went 3-1 when playing on the 15th of a month.
 
In their 15th season in Utah (1993-94), the Jazz won their 15th game of the season. The Jazz went 1-2 on the 15th of a month, including the playoffs. The Jazz won 2 games by exactly 15 points and lost 1 game by 15 points.
 
In 1994-95 the Jazz won 15 consecutive road games. The streak started in Sacramento on November 27, 1994 and ended in Houston on February 2, 1995. Prior to this streak, the Jazz were 0-4 on the road. During the streak the Jazz beat one opponent (the Mavs) by exactly 15 points.
 
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