As part of the Carbon Recreation Junior Jazz program, each sumer Price youngsters get the opportunity to meet and talk with a member of the Utah Jazz basketball team.
This year’s visitor was last year’s first round draft pick Morris Almond who came down to wow the local youth. It was Almond’s fifth stop in two days and he had two more days and three more stops on his tour through rural Utah.
Almond is a shooting guard for the Jazz and he played out his college years at Rice in Texas. His rookie year was divided between the Jazz and their developmental league team, the Utah Flash . Almond wears number 22.
Almond told the kids he has worn number 22 since about ninth grade. When he was picked by the Jazz, he would have chosen number 23 to be like Mike (Micheal Jordon), but since it was taken, he stuck with 22. The number has significance for him since his birthday is February 2, thus 2-2.
He also told the crowd that having fun and good sportsmanship were the two most important things in playing basketball.
“When I was young, I didn’t think about playing on TV or making money. I just had fun playing,” Almond emphasized.
He ran the kids through several drills and played a little one on one with six youngsters who were able to answer questions about what he talked about earlier. He held a question and answer period and wrapped things up by signing autographs and T-shirts for everyone there.
When asked how he felt about his first season, he replied, “It was a long season. It was my first season and just the beginning in what I hope will be a long career. I’m glad to have it done with. This year is going to be better.”
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