Certainly, that begins with Frank Layden, the former team president and coach whose philosophies about professional basketball still pervade the franchise today.

It also goes to Larry H. Miller, who became the sole owner of the team in April 1986, keeping it from skating off to Minnesota.

"One thing that sticks out to me like a sore thumb is the ownership," says David Fredman, a 28-year veteran with the Jazz and general manager of the Utah Flash, a new NBA Developmental League team.

"Larry Miller hasn't panicked. In other words, he's stuck with people and let the basketball people make the decisions. He was passionate from the start, but he hasn't let his emotions take over to the point where basketball decisions are made by nonbasketball people.

"He's let coach (Jerry) Sloan coach. He's let (Jazz vice president) Kevin O'Connor do his job.... I think Larry's confidence in his people and his loyalty to his people has ended up paying dividends to him."

Adds Pat Williams, "Give Larry Miller credit. He hires good people and appears to let them do their jobs. They know how to work with him."

The Jazz have to be considered one of the most stable franchises in the NBA.

Nothing illustrates that better than Sloan's tenure at the helm. Now in his 19th season, he is the longest-tenured head coach in professional basketball, football, baseball or hockey.

Patience is rare in sports today. There have been 193 coaching changes in the NBA since Sloan took over the Jazz in December 1988. Most teams have gone through six or eight coaches during that time.

Truth be told, Fredman says, the Jazz foundation has a lot to do with Layden. Sloan never changed some of the things Layden introduced to the team, including the offense the Jazz run.

"I think Frank had a big influence on Jerry," says Williams, whose relationship with Sloan goes back 40 years.

Bailey describes Sloan as uncomplicated and not really profound in his approach to the game. His teams reflect his hard-nosed, no-nonsense persona.

"We bring our lunch pail. We bring our hard hat and we go to work. Nothing special," Bailey says.

Sloan is not big on change. And on the floor, Jazz management has assembled a core and kept it together.

First Karl Malone, John Stockton, Jeff Hornacek and Greg Ostertag. Now Carlos Boozer, Deron Williams, Andrei Kirilenko and Mehmet Okur.