Estimated read time: 3-4 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
SALT LAKE CITY -- The NBA world is dark. Game one didn't come, just went away.
On Monday a light will shine from Salt Lake Community College as a group of Jazz players, including both of their first-round picks, will play a collection of players from around the league including former BYU Cougar Jimmer Fredette.
It will be the Jazz-versus-the-NBA charity exhibition. The game will be played at the Bruin Arena Nov. 7 at 7 p.m.
The title isn't completely accurate, it's not the entire Jazz roster, and they aren't playing the NBA greats. It won't have the star power as some of the other exhibition games have had. It has been done with players such as LeBron, D-Wade and Durant. This will have Jimmer, Favors, Enes and Chauncey.
However, this will be the first chance for fans to see this year's picks play with the Jazz, even if it is in an informal nature. Enes Kanter, the third overall pick, and Alec Burks, the 12th pick, will both be involved in the game. The rest of the Jazz roster will include: Jeremy Evans, Al Jefferson, Derrick Favors, Paul Millsap, Ronnie Price, Earl Watson and Devin Harris.
The NBA roster will include Sacramento Kings draft pick and former Cougar sensation Fredette. Another former local favorite will make his return to Utah as former Jazzman Wesley Matthews will join the NBA squad. Chauncey Billups of the New York Knicks will play as well. Stephen Curry of the Golden State Warriors will round out the bigger names for the game. The other confirmed players are Corey Maggette of the Charlotte Bobcats and Anthony Tolliver of the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Related:
Union meets, says more talks with NBA owners ahead
NBA players and owners will start negotiating again Saturday, and the union's leaders say they're unified as they seek to resolve the lockout.There should be another couple of players announced between now and when the game is played, especially for the NBA roster. While this is only an exhibition game, which means there will probably be no defense played and the goal is to have fun and make some money for charity, it will still be interesting to see the matchups that are put out on the court.
If this game plays out like an all-star game then defense will be at a minimum and the firepower of the Jimmer and Curry will give the NBA team a fighting chance. Both players are point guards that shoot first and ask questions later. Fredette's qualifications are well known in Utah after averaging 28.9 points per game at BYU last year. He was compared to Curry coming out of college, both carried teams deep into the NCAA tournament and both lit up scoreboards. Curry averaged 28.6 per game at Davidson. He has averaged 18 per game since joining the NBA.
Some notable Jazz players that will be missing from the game will be Gordon Hayward, Andrei Kirilenko and C.J. Miles. They may join before the game actually happens, but haven't been included yet.
If Hayward joins the Jazz could roll out their line-up of the future with Burks, Hayward, Favors and Kanter all on the court at the same time. They were all from the last two drafts, Favors and Kanter were the number three picks in the last two, and both picks came from the Nets. Hayward and Burks were the Jazz's own picks taken with the ninth pick last year and 12th this year respectively.
However, Hayward is playing in a pro-am All-Star game the night before in Indiana.
While Jimmer'd rookie game in Rrov was more about making money for the rookies than charity this will be for charity since there will be signed professional athletes. There will be multiple charities that will benefit from the game. Kanter will be helping in his home country of Turkey. Other charities will include the Make-a-Wish Foundation, the Ronald McDonald House and OI Foundation.
There will be a halftime game of Special Olympics athletes that the players will assist with. The Special Olympics will be another charity benefited.
Tickets start at $22.50 for upper-bowl and floor seats at $50. All tickets are available from Smith's Tix.
