Utah Jazz: Stockton a 'perfect' point guard, a fierce floor general

The next year Stockton helped the Jazz win their second Midwest Division title in Sloan's first season as head coach and they made that postseason journey an annual pilgrimage. The Jazz weren't always successful in the playoffs, but they were always there. Nineteen years in a row with Stockton on the squad, in fact.

But many of those proved frustrating and resulted in early exits until Stockton nailed that 3-pointer over the surging Barkley, lifting Utah to the Game 6 victory in the '97 Western Conference Finals with what NBA.com's John Schuhmann claims is "easily the biggest shot in Jazz history."

Stockton and company couldn't quite clear the next hurdle — mostly because the hurdle happened to be 6-foot-6 and arguably the greatest player to ever play the game — but that doesn't tarnish his career in the slightest to his old coach.

Plus, Stockton was hardly the only player whose team couldn't beat Air Jordan and his Chicago Bulls.

Nonetheless, Danny Ainge reportedly complimented Stockton for competing harder than anyone in the game, including Jordan. Sloan loved his will to win and work, too.

"John's just an unusual guy," Sloan said. "He loved to play. He loved to compete."

He loved to play and compete after falling short, too. Just ask his brother, Steve. That never-give-up attitude was one of Sloan's favorite qualities Stockton possessed.

"If things didn't go right, it was interesting to watch. … He wasn't sitting around feeling sorry for himself. He got up and got ready to go again," Sloan said. "I'm sure players that played against him hated to see him have a bad game before he played against them.

"He had his moments, but I'd say he's second to none as far as I'm concerned as far as wanting to play and proving that," Sloan continued. "A lot of people tell you they like to play, but go out and prove it. He missed how many games in 19 years?"

Only an average of 1.16 games per season.

Though some can't believe Stockton did so well and for so long while supposedly being undersized, Sloan insists being short greatly benefited his point guard. Mostly because Stockton was — from the first time he touched a basketball until the day he retired and then on into the Hall of Fame — and always will be a true point guard.

Sloan loves that he always faced his opponent, a skill Stockton used oh-so-well to break him down and make a play. He also marvels at how the mighty-mite was able to get out of so many double-team situations.

"Now he's not 6-10, 6-9 or 6-8. He's kind of a small guy," Sloan admitted. "And to be double-teamed the way he was and to get out of it as well as he did is hard to imagine.

"But," Sloan added, "he had terrific hands, terrific eyes and all those things that are necessary."

To be a perfect player, of course. That explains why the coach feels the Hall of Fame is now a perfect spot for Stockton's legend to live on.

Sloan couldn't care less if his choir boy look-alike was also a saint.

e-mail: jody@desnews.com