UTAH JAZZ
ChatGPT Ranks Best Utah Jazz Players Of All-Time
Apr 25, 2023, 1:20 PM | Updated: 1:24 pm
Karl Malone #32 and John Stockton #12 of the Utah Jazz talk strategy during a break in NBA game action at the Delta Center circa 1997 in Salt Lake City, Utah. Copyright 1997 NBAE (Photo by Sam Forencich/NBAE via Getty Images)
(Photo by Sam Forencich/NBAE via Getty Images)
SALT LAKE CITY – Can artificial intelligence tools like ChatGPT provide an accurate breakdown of the top 10 Utah Jazz players of all time?
ChatGPT is one of the most powerful (and intimidating) AI tools around and is quickly revolutionizing how data is consumed and presented to its users.
How well can it be applied to sports? Let’s look at how it ranks the greatest players in Jazz history, what it got right, and what it got wrong.
ChatGPT Ranks Top 10 Jazz Players
1. Karl Malone – Known as “The Mailman,” Malone is widely regarded as the greatest player in Jazz history. He spent 18 seasons with the Jazz and is a two-time NBA MVP (1997, 1999) and a 14-time NBA All-Star (1988-1998, 2000-2002).
2. John Stockton – Considered one of the best point guards in NBA history, Stockton played his entire 19-year career with the Jazz. He is the NBA’s all-time leader in assists (15,806) and steals (3,265) and was a 10-time NBA All-Star (1989-1997, 2000).
3. Adrian Dantley – Dantley played seven seasons with the Jazz and was a prolific scorer, averaging over 30 points per game in four seasons with the team. He was a two-time NBA scoring champion (1981, 1984) and a six-time NBA All-Star (1980-1985).
4. Pete Maravich – Although his time with the Jazz was relatively short (1974-1979), Maravich left a lasting impact on the franchise. He was known for his flashy style of play and was a five-time NBA All-Star (1973-1977).
“Pistol” Pete Maravich makes the NBA 75th Anniversary team.#TakeNote | @KSLSports https://t.co/mhglZDbnYs
— Ben Anderson (@BensHoops) October 21, 2021
5. Deron Williams – Williams was one of the best point guards in the NBA during his time with the Jazz (2005-2011). He was a three-time NBA All-Star (2010-2012) and helped lead the team to multiple playoff appearances.
6. Mark Eaton – Eaton was a dominant defensive force during his 11 seasons with the Jazz (1982-1993). He was a two-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year (1985, 1989) and a one-time NBA All-Star (1989).
7. Jeff Hornacek – Hornacek played six seasons with the Jazz (1994-2000) and was known for his shooting and playmaking ability. He was a one-time NBA All-Star (1992) and played a key role in the Jazz’s playoff runs in the late 1990s.
8. Rudy Gobert – Gobert has been a defensive stalwart for the Jazz since he joined the team in 2013. He is a two-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year (2018, 2019) and a three-time NBA All-Star (2020-2022).
9. Carlos Boozer – Boozer played six seasons with the Jazz (2004-2010) and was a double-double machine, averaging over 20 points and 10 rebounds per game in multiple seasons. He was a two-time NBA All-Star (2007, 2008).
10. Gordon Hayward – Hayward played seven seasons with the Jazz (2010-2017) and was known for his scoring and versatility. He was a one-time NBA All-Star (2017) and helped lead the Jazz to the playoffs in multiple seasons.
What Did AI Get Right, And Wrong About The Jazz?
First and foremost, ChatGPT got it right at the top of the Jazz rankings as the franchise will forever be synonymous with the two statutes that sit on the corner of Stockton and Malone Drive in front of Vivint Arena.
Outside of the top two, the results become increasingly subjective.
Dantley was an unquestionably productive scorer, and his six All-Star appearances rank third in Jazz history all-time. He also had a notoriously difficult relationship with the front office and led the team to just two playoff appearances in seven seasons.
RELATED STORIES
Maravich is regarded as one of the league’s greatest showmen, and built a Hall of Fame resume in part due to his time with the New Orleans Jazz, but never led the team to a winning record.
Williams was one of the top point guards in the league during his time in Utah and was the leader of the best team the franchise has seen since Stockton and Malone left the organization.
However, his resume alone is not worthy of a top-five ranking, and his abrupt exit from the team hurts his overall favorability.
Both Eaton and Hornacek are rightfully regarded as all-time Jazz greats but found themselves ranked ahead of more deserving players in the franchise’s history.
Boozer and Gobert should both likely be ranked higher on this list based on accolades, statistics, and team success, while Hayward is significantly over-ranked at number 10.
Takeaways From ChatGPT Jazz Rankings?
Examining the rankings, a few trends become easily apparent that ChatGPT favored in its analysis.
First, a Hall of Fame career is valued more highly than team success, as was the case for Dantley and Maravich earning top-four rankings.
Second, longevity played a major role in the rankings as Eaton, Hornacek, and Hayward earned spots in the top 10 over Donovan Mitchell who was unquestionably the better player for the Jazz, with the better statistical resume.
Third and finally, it leaves out human emotion. While that can help eliminate the room for error based on personal biases, it doesn’t tell the whole story when it comes to a player’s impact and importance on a sports franchise.
Ben Anderson is the Utah Jazz insider for KSL Sports and the co-host of Jake and Ben from 10-12p with Jake Scott on 97.5 The KSL Sports Zone. Find Ben on Twitter at @BensHoops or on Instagram @BensHoops.
