The players were also caught a little off-guard but laughed about it after the game. Carlos Boozer said he was surprised that President Monson was saying "Hi to everybody."

"And then they told me after the game that he was the president of the church. Is that what he is? That's cool," Boozer said. "He didn't say hello to me, though. ... He tapped Jerry on the shoulder and it was like, 'Good job, coach. You're the best.' And Jerry was like, 'Who was that?"'

Many fans could have clued them in. And the players and coach are certainly no strangers to President Monson, who smiled and said, "Oh, yes," when asked if he was a Jazz fan.

"Always have been," he said.

And his favorite Jazz player?

"I like a lot of them," President Monson admitted. "I like that new man, (Kyle) Korver. I like (Matt) Harpring's gutsy way of playing. He's all right."

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