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Stockton at 40: The guy can play, but he won't hog the spotlight By
Jeff Burton Some label him "dirty." Others call him pesky. Still others say he's too old to play anymore. Say what you want about the greatest point guard of all-time. John Stockton really doesn't care. He just quietly gets the job done and has for nearly two decades now. In a sport that has been transformed into a high-profile, media-frenzied entertainment by such demagogues as Kobe Bryant, Shaquille O'Neal and Michael Jordan, Stockton has modestly and quietly done his job, night-in and night-out, for 18 seasons. His entire career has been spent giving others the ball, while not taking much credit, and the Utah Jazz have succeeded as one of the top teams in the NBA. On Tuesday night Stockton became the 10th player in NBA history to play in the league after turning 40. Stockton, who remarkably has only missed 18 games in his career due to knee surgery, continues to dominate at the point guard position and has proved that a man can still be white, wear short shorts and terrorize defenders in the NBA. It all began in 1984 when the Jazz selected Stockton in the first round (16th overall) out of Gonzaga University in his hometown of Spokane, Wash. Stockton began his career playing back-up to veteran guard Rickey Green. After Stockton's rookie season he sent several Jazz staff members thank-you cards for helping him adjust to life in the NBA. Stockton played behind Green for three seasons and then in the 1987-88 season (Stockton's fourth) he got the starting position for the Jazz and set an NBA season record with 1,128 assists. Stockton quickly gained respect as he, along with teammate Karl Malone, who the Jazz selected a year after Stockton, perfected the pick-and-roll. Stockton helped Malone, with his superb point guard play, earn two Most Valuable Player awards and climb all the way to number two on the all-time scoring list in NBA history. The phrase "Stockton to Malone" became so commonplace that after several years the car dealership "Stockton-to-Malone" opened for business. Not only did Stockton make Malone a better player, but vice-versa. Malone helped Stockton climb to the number one spot in assists. During the 1994-95 season, Malone hit a baseline jumper to give Stockton his 9,222nd career assist to pass Lakers great Magic Johnson. The game was stopped briefly as Jazz owner Larry H. Miller presented an emotional Stockton with the game ball and then, at the request of Stockton, the game quickly resumed and the moment was over. The next season, Stockton quietly tore down another NBA all-time record by passing Maurice Cheeks' steals record of 2,310. In May 1997, Stockton hit what may have been the biggest shot of his career, a last-second three-pointer over the outstretched arms of Houston's Charles Barkley. The swish sent the Jazz into the NBA Finals for the first time in franchise history. Stockton was mobbed by teammates and the team was welcomed home by more than 20,000 screaming fans at 3 a.m. in Salt Lake City. Barkley, one of the most vocal players in the league who played for 16 seasons, said that Stockton was one of the five best players he ever faced. Stockton helped the Jazz pester the Chicago Bulls in a competitive six game series, before Jordan helped the Bulls prevail. The next season Stockton directed the Jazz back to the championship, where they would again come up short against the Bulls in yet another close and exciting six-game series. Stockton, named one of the 50 Greatest layers in NBA History by Sports Illustrated, is also the proud owner of two gold medals from the 1992 and 1996 Summer Olympic Games. Although this 10-time All-Star holds many records and continues putting up big numbers, this modest man is one of the classiest men in the league. A father of six children, Stockton attends Mass every Sunday, and even attends when the Jazz are on the road. He has been called "a very, very good Catholic" by those who know him best. So as others will be signing large, lucrative deals with advertising companies, appearing in front of the cameras in the Hollywood spotlight, Stockton will continue playing quietly, not getting much attention. After Stockton's career, some will look back and realize, he may not have been the most flashy player, but, wow, could that guy play ball.
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