Jazz media day blog: Whiteside's hilarious telling of surprising first call with Snyder

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SALT LAKE CITY — The Utah Jazz will officially tipoff their preparations for the 2021-22 season Monday with their annual media day.

Follow along as Donovan Mitchell, Rudy Gobert and the rest of the Utah Jazz players speak with the media for the first time ahead of an expectations-filled season.

Monday, 01:48 pm

Hassan Whiteside hilariously tells story of surprising first phone call with Quin Snyder

Hassan Whiteside was a bit surprised.For years, the new Jazz center had seen Quin Snyder's intense stares and heard his screams as he played against Utah. So when the Jazz head coach called him, he expected that same level of intensity.He got something pretty different."You don't gotta call me coach, you can call me Q," Whiteside remembered Snyder telling him.Whiteside could hardly believe his ears."He's nothing like I thought he was," Whiteside said, laughing. "I thought he was gonna be like a super-strict angry guy. … I was like who is this guy? I like this guy! I might go here. He's a smooth-talking guy."It turns out, Snyder's trademark intensity gets dialed down away from the games."On the bench, he looks so stressed out all the time," Whiteside said, with everyone in the room laughing along now. "I'm like, 'Y'all up 30. What are y'all doing?'"Snyder wasn't the only member of the Jazz, Whiteside perceived different than how they really were.Whiteside said he thought Donovan Mitchell was "a little more reserved.""He's kind of like a joker, like a big personality," Whiteside said. "I thought he was a little more standoffish. It feels like I know him a lot longer than I do."Mitchell, as Jazz fans know, is about just the opposite. Just last Saturday, he attended the BYU-South Florida game (bringing along plenty of teammates) just so he could get that college feeling again.Whiteside understands more than most about misperceptions. He's been called a bad teammate, a non-winning player and much more during his career. Some of the criticisms have had merit, sure, but those narratives have helped paint Whiteside as almost a sulky and hard-to-get-along-with person.His first weeks as a member of the Jazz and his first in-person media session as a member of the Jazz sure painted a different picture.

Monday, 01:11 pm

Mike Conley changes number back to No. 11

Donovan Mitchell's voice was heard booming from the hallway."How is that not a story?" he said to Mike Conley, who was just about to walk into the interview room.The story: Mike Conley was sporting his new No. 11 number."I tried to change it a year and a half ago and they told me I had to wait," Conley said.The No. 11 came available after Dante Exum was traded to Cleveland for Jordan Clarkson in December 2019. So why didn't Conley go back to his preferred number last season?The answer is simple: He forgot.He actually didn't remember until equipment manager Adam Klauke sent him a text with his jersey with the No. 11 on it.As for Conley's offseason, he said he started doing yoga religiously in order to help the problems he's faced with his hamstrings in his first two seasons with the Jazz.He's also been out on the golf course with Jazz owner Ryan Smith plenty, even playing a Ryder Cup-esque contest with Smith.When it comes to the team, Conley believes the Jazz addressed a lot of their holes with the offseason additions."Not just Rudy Gay, but Hassan (Whiteside), Eric (Paschall)," before adding, "I love Jared (Butler). All the guys we have are ready."

Monday, 12:32 pm

Donovan Mitchell says he's fully healthy entering season

Donovan Mitchell took a rare deep breath this offseason.For three weeks following his injury-plagued postseason, the two-time All Star rested. He didn't do anything related to basketball or his ankle rehab as he gave his body a chance to relax."I think that was really good decision for me," Mitchell said. "That helped me when I got back. When you are away from something for so long that you love, you come back and are ready to go."That's just what Mitchell feels he is: The star guard said his ankle is "100%" heading into training camp.Now, it's about keeping it — and everything else — that way (or at least close to it). The late-season injury changed Mitchell's perspective a little when it comes to taking some extra minutes or games or days off."I'm all for ways to make sure we're healthy, especially after the last year," he said. "Before I got hurt, I may have said something different. But understanding the importance of it and the longevity of the season. I think I'm all for ways to help us to be as healthy as possible."But the playoffs are a long way from now. So for now, Mitchell is hoping to take his game to the next level — which he admits, almost sheepishly, that he has said every season. For Mitchell, that means being more efficient"Shooting percentages, obviously, but also turnovers, defense," he said.

Monday, 11:36 am

Jordan Clarkson re-lives his viral man-on-the-street interview

Jordan Clarkson entered the room with the joke in his holster."Before we start, y'all want me to spell my name?"Clarkson's offseason ended in a viral way; with a man-on-the-street interview from a local news reporter about the Jazz. Except, the news reporter didn't realize the reigning Sixth Man of the Year was on the Jazz.That led to this now famous exchange:Reporter: "Do you go to a lot of Jazz games?"Clarkson: "Yeah, a lot."Clarkson re-lived the moment on Monday with the local media (yes, he did spell his name, just in case we had forgotten)."I was out furniture shopping and I walked out and she asked, 'Can I ask you some questions?'" Clarkson said. "I thought it was going to be about the city or something. I was like, 'All right.' I just answered the questions like she asked me."It turns out, they weren't as much about the city and more about the local NBA team. So did he ever think of informing the reporter he happened to play for said team?"Nah, I just gotta keep it playing," he said smiling. "Keep it rolling."As for some fans not wanting to go to the games due to Vivint Arena's new vaccination or COVID-19 test requirements (which was the premise of the news report), Clarkson said it will be worth it."Do what you got to do. Get your COVID test, get your vaccine to be at the games. We are going to put a great show on for everyone," Clarkson said.

Monday, 10:58 am

Justin Zanik says team is 100% vaccinated

There was a bit of happiness and relief as Jazz general manager Justin Zanik announced it: The Utah Jazz are 100% vaccinated.With differing COVID-19 protocols from state to state, that means things will be a bit easier as the Jazz begin to navigate the season – and save them potential headaches on road trips to places like New York, San Francisco and others where unvaccinated players may not be able to even play."I think it's every person's choice, but the fact that our players and our coaches and health performance and the entire organization chose to do that to protect each other," Zanik said. "You already know how high character guys are and how much they care about each other. It's a simple gesture between them, as well as their fans and communities. I am proud of them."Rudy Gobert said that he took his time before deciding, and "won't judge" any player who chose to not to receive a vaccination. For Joe Ingles, he said it was a bit comforting to be able to go to his family after being in an environment that is "more or less" the safest it can be.

Monday, 09:25 am

Eric Paschall already knows his teammates — now he's getting to learn Utah

It's been a unique offseason for Eric Paschall — unique in the fact that it's actually been somewhat normal.With no shutdown via a global pandemic, Paschall has actually had an offseason entering his third season. And with a new teammate Donovan Mitchell being a childhood friend, he had a pretty decent training partner."It was cool to be around Don the whole of the summer," Paschall said.With Paschall being well acquainted with most of his new Jazz teammates, he doesn't believe that fitting in with the team will be much of an issue. The bigger adjustment? Acclimating to Utah."I'm so used to like big cities like New York," Paschall said. "... I think it'd be good for me just to have a balance, just to be calm all the time and not have to worry about certain things or like getting distracted."At least when he's not looking to the east."The scenery is actually beautiful," he said. "I'm in a hotel, I look out the window and see those mountain and it's like, 'Dang!'"On the court, Paschall admits that he doesn't yet know what his role will be, but said that should start to be defined in the coming days as practice tips off."I am just trying to bring energy, bring a different mentality here," Paschall said. "Just trying to be a dog at all times."And he feels that he'll benefit from playing Quin Snyder's three-centered offense."I'm definitely looking forward to having the freedom to shoot this many 3's," he said. "I feel like for any player, that gives a lot of confidence. It gives them a lot of confidence from shooting and knowing that you're not going to get yelled at for taking a particular shot."

Monday, 08:41 am

Derrick Alston probably makes Joe Ingles feel rather old

The presence of the rookie from Boise State in camp might have one Jazz member feeling a bit old. How so?Joe Ingles played against a Derrick Alston as he started his career in Australia, but that was Derrick Altson Sr."Joe's been really great with me because him and my dad played together in Australia," the younger Alston said. "So there's kind of a connection there. So he's been really helping me."Alston, who signed a free agent contract with the Jazz, isn't the only new Jazzman with a connection. Justin James, Utah's new two-way addition, played high school basketball against second-year center Udoka Azubuike."He's always a presence down there in the middle, so it was nice to see him," James said.But maybe not to go against him, though."He's even more of a presence. He's also learning his spots on the floor and how to get easier shots," James said. "He's just a better overall player."While James is a bit more secure, the two newest Jazz players will be going through a similar experience this training camp as they try to impress a batch of new coaches and try to carve out a spot in the league."You can't wait for it to happen. It's exciting. you get a little anxious as well. But you wait your whole life for it. You get the opportunity, you want to take advantage of it," James said.

Jazz media day blog: Whiteside's hilarious telling of surprising first call with Snyder

By Ryan Miller, KSL.com | Updated - Sept. 27, 2021 at 1:56 p.m. | Posted - Sept. 27, 2021 at 8:43 a.m.

Hassan Whiteside hilariously tells story of surprising first phone call with Quin Snyder

Mike Conley changes number back to No. 11

Donovan Mitchell says he's fully healthy entering season

Jordan Clarkson re-lives his viral man-on-the-street interview

Justin Zanik says team is 100% vaccinated

Eric Paschall already knows his teammates — now he's getting to learn Utah

Derrick Alston probably makes Joe Ingles feel rather old

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Jazz media day blog: Whiteside's hilarious telling of surprising first call with Snyder

By Ryan Miller, KSL.com | Updated - Sept. 27, 2021 at 1:56 p.m. | Posted - Sept. 27, 2021 at 8:43 a.m.

Hassan Whiteside hilariously tells story of surprising first phone call with Quin Snyder

Mike Conley changes number back to No. 11

Donovan Mitchell says he's fully healthy entering season

Jordan Clarkson re-lives his viral man-on-the-street interview

Justin Zanik says team is 100% vaccinated

Eric Paschall already knows his teammates — now he's getting to learn Utah

Derrick Alston probably makes Joe Ingles feel rather old

Most recent Utah Jazz stories

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'I wonder what he can do in 3 months': How the Smiths won over Utah's new NHL club

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