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TOM NISSALKE

Three things Tom Nissalke, the first coach in Utah Jazz history, most wishes he could change about the franchise history:

First, he wanted to make Ron Boone a player-coach - "he would have had a terrific future as a coach," Nissalke said - but never got the chance. The Jazz released Boone just months before the team fired Nissalke; Boone later became a longtime radio analyst for the team.

Nissalke also wishes forward Bernard King had not struggled against an alcohol problem that led to an arrest that got him traded, and that the Jazz had drafted Kevin McHale in 1980 instead of Darrell Griffith to team with Adrian Dantley.

"If we could have had Dantley, McHale and King in the same lineup, I'd probably still be here," Nissalke joked.

One of his favorite stories of the old days, however, involves none of them.

During a halftime talk, one of his other players - of whom Nissalke did not think much - audibly farted, thinking it pretty funny. Nissalke didn't say anything, but assistant coach Gene Littles sidled up to the player on the way back to the court and told him, "I think this will be your last half with the team."

Sure enough, Nissalke later turned to Littles on the bench and said he thought they had to get rid of the offender. "And he said, 'It's already been taken care of,' " Nissalke recalled. Trainer Don Sparks had a plane ticket waiting, right after the final horn.

- Michael C. Lewis

DARRELL GRIFFITH

Darrell Griffith was much more of a player than his nickname, Dr. Dunkenstein, suggests. But the nickname tells so much about him as a player.

Griffith was a high flyer and one of the first high draft picks of the Frank Layden era. He validated Layden's faith in him by becoming a marquee player.

In 1980-81, he was rookie of the year, and although he never became a true superstar, he was good enough to have his number retired by the team in 1983. "He was a very good player for us," Layden said. "He was also a terrific person."

Griffith played in Utah for 11 seasons. He, along with John Stockton and Karl Malone, were just a few of the name players in franchise history to spend their entire careers in Utah.

- Tony Jones

ADRIAN DANTLEY

The mid-range jumpshot.

The ability to get to the foul line.

The all-star appearances. The ability to score the ball in bunches.

Adrian Dantley was one of the more unique players in NBA history, a 6-foot-4 forward who scored the bulk of his points from 18 feet in. He was one of the first true superstars in Jazz franchise history, and he was someone opponents had to plan for on a nightly basis.

"Coaches today tell players to get to the basket whenever they can," Dantley said. "That's what I tried to do. I wanted to get to the basket and be aggressive."

Dantley, in his seven seasons with Utah, made six all-star appearances and made the all-NBA team twice.

The Jazz traded him to Detroit in 1986 and he came close to a title with the Pistons, losing to the Los Angeles Lakers in a classic seven-game series in 1988.

Although he never won a championship, his time with the Jazz will be remembered as one of the great careers in franchise history. The team retired his jersey in 2007, and he was recently inducted into the Hall of Fame.

"I enjoyed my time [in Utah]," Dantley said. "I had a good experience here, and I love the people of Utah."

- Tony Jones