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Jazz fans treated to best of both worlds — a win and a highlight show from Victor Wembanyama

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Jazz fans treated to best of both worlds — a win and a highlight show from Victor Wembanyama


The Delta Center is home to the Utah Jazz, where Jazz fans faithfully stand behind their team through thick and thin and show up each and every game day to show their loyalty…

Well, at least that’s the case most of the time.

These days — with losses coming more regularly than wins, and as the Jazz clearly work toward future success rather than success in the present season — it can be a little tougher to convince some fans to pony up the dough for a game.

But on Sunday, there was something else worth seeing: the 2023 No. 1 overall pick from the San Antonio Spurs, Victor Wembanyama.

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“Since the trade deadline, I haven’t cared about watching the Jazz,” a local fan told the Deseret News. “But I’ll pay money to watch Wemby.”

As a large group of fans clad in Jazz gear entered the Delta Center, I asked who was at the arena to see Wembanyama and they all cheered.

Fans showed up early and clapped excitedly as they watched Wembanyama go through his pregame workout. And, in the end, they were treated to the best of both worlds — a game in which Wembanyama had highlight plays on both ends of the floor, and a rare Jazz win.

Snapping a five-game losing streak, the Jazz came out on top 128-109, and did so with some pretty incredible 3-point shooting and really intentional defense.

It’s not easy to play against a team with a 7-foot-4, ultra skilled player and keep that team from owning the paint, but rookie Taylor Hendricks, tasked with the difficult assignment of defending Wembanyama, did a pretty good job.

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“No one has enough size to guard Victor but I think Taylor did a good job with his speed and his length and tried to climb up underneath him a little bit and speed him up some,” Jazz head coach Will Hardy said.

“I thought overall, Taylor did a good job initially at the point of attack of not getting blown by, and it allowed his teammates to help him.”

It took Kris Dunn and Collin Sexton combining for eight steals, Sexton and Jordan Clarkson combining for 20 assists, Lauri Markkanen having a really efficient night and leading the Jazz with 26 points and the entire team shooting 48.6% from 3-point range to get the job done, but the Jazz were able to do it.

That being said, Wembanyama made sure to put his imprint on the game.

In the opening minutes, Wembanyama wowed with three huge blocks and capped off the night adding two more to his total.

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In the end he finished with an, average by his standards, 22 points and 10 rebounds to go with his five blocks.

The Jazz can at least be proud that Wembanyama didn’t put a 5-by-5 on them like he did against the Lakers on Friday night, finishing with 27 points, 10 rebounds, eight assists, five steals and five blocks, and he didn’t end up with a triple-double including 10 blocks, a feat he most recently achieved against the Toronto Raptors on Feb. 12.

But Wembanyama, despite the expectations and his early performances, much like the Jazz, is concerned with creating habits that are sustainable.

“It’s a long season, a new challenge every night,” he said. “You see guys like Shai (Gilgeious-Alexander), (Joel) Embiid, they might score 30 a night, but every night they’re going to get to score 30. Once you’ve done it, it’s about repeating it.”

So for at least one night, the Jazz were able to keep Wembanyama off the path of repeated success and the fans enjoyed every second.

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Utah Jazz jump to #2 in the lottery, plus full results

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Utah Jazz jump to #2 in the lottery, plus full results


In what has a chance to be one of the most important nights in Jazz history, the Utah Jazz jumped in the NBA Lottery to the #2 spot for the upcoming NBA draft.

Here are the final results, which show all the movement.

Aside from it being a massive night for the Wizards, Jazz, Grizzlies, and Bulls, it was a devastating night for a few teams, but no one more than the Indiana Pacers. The Pacers, in their trade for Ivica Zubac, had a stipulation on their pick that if the pick was top-4 they kept it. But if it fell below 4, they would give it to the Clippers which is exactly what happened. Now, the Clippers, who are without Zubac, find themselves with a #5 pick to build around.

For the Jazz this is a culmination of four years of rebuilding that ends with an extremely satisfying end. Utah will now have one of the tier-1 players from this draft: AJ Dybantsa or Darryn Peterson. The player Utah drafts will be one of their cornerstone pieces and will have the chance to not only play, but be a part of a team that will be competing for the playoffs this season.

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The Utah Jazz now have a Sinister Six core: Darryn Peterson (If AJ Dybantsa goes #1), Keyonte George, Ace Bailey, Lauri Markkanen, Jaren Jackson Jr., and Walker Kessler (if he signs). It’s quite the core with a mix of youth and veterans in their prime. With this group, the Jazz will have a chance to be one of the top teams in the Western Conference. Yes, the Thunder and Spurs are going to be difficult to beat, but Utah has the mix of talent, coaching, and depth that could absolutely do the trick.

Now the Utah Jazz look forward to the NBA Draft that be on June 23rd. Let the posturing begin!!



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Provo’s new Boys & Girls clubhouse gives Utah youth more space to learn, grow and belong

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Provo’s new Boys & Girls clubhouse gives Utah youth more space to learn, grow and belong


PROVO — An organization that has been a beacon of hope for Utah children and families just got a big upgrade in Provo.

The Boys & Girls Clubs of Utah County on Friday held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for its newest facility, marking the start of a new chapter in providing support for those who need it the most.

The new Kent B. Nelson Clubhouse, 131 N. Olympic Blvd., replaces the organization’s former Provo clubhouse, which had been in operation for more than 50 years. Boys & Girls Clubs of Utah County leaders said they had outgrown the aging facility and needed a larger, more modern space to support more community members.

A ribbon-cutting ceremony was held for the Boys & Girls Club of Utah County’s new Kent B. Nelson Clubhouse on Friday. (Photo: Curtis Booker, KSL)

“This new clubhouse is more than a building — it’s a central place where we can coordinate programs, support our staff, and amplify our impact across the region,” said David Bayles, CEO of Boys & Girls Clubs of Utah County, in a statement.

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The organization’s mission was something the late former Utah County Commissioner Tom Sakievich was passionate about. His wife Marji and daughter Emily Sakievich attended Friday’s grand opening ceremony just as if he would’ve wanted to.

“He loved this project, and it meant the world to him,” Emily Sakievich told KSL. “This was actually one of the last places he went before he passed. (He) and my mom stopped by to just see how progress was going; he would be so excited to see this come together.”

The former commissioner died last December at the age of 72. Tom Sakievich resigned from the seat in September 2024 after being diagnosed with glioblastoma brain cancer.

Emily Sakievich said her father was a big supporter of helping children in the Boys & Girls Clubs feel supported while he was in office.

“He would have all of them come to his office and talk about how government works and how they can be a part of it someday,” she said.

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The new 20,000 square-foot facility expands on resources and programs offered at its previous site for community youth and families experiencing hardships.

The clubhouse will provide safe, engaging, and educational programs in a modernized building fit to serve more than 14,000 Utah children and teens.

A variety of programs including after-school, summer activities and STEM learning will be offered at the new facility. Other resources include internet safety programs, mental health support, nutrition initiatives, and housing assistance for families experiencing homelessness.

“We’ve been able to increase the capacity so much and add preschool and other things; we can even benefit more families — and we can benefit them for a longer period of time, from younger to older, where there are no gaps.” Provo City Council Chair Katrice MacKay told KSL. “So I’m really excited. It’s a fantastic thing for the city and for our residents.”

Leaders of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Utah County say the new $6 million Provo clubhouse was designed as a welcoming space where children and teens can explore new interests, build life skills, and receive mentorship from caring staff.

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“The Boys & Girls Clubs have been a cornerstone of youth development in Utah County for decades,” said Janet Frank, board president, in a statement “This new clubhouse strengthens that mission, allowing the organization to extend its reach and impact across the entire region.”

Friday’s event took place while children who attend the Boys & Girls Clubs were in school, so another ceremony for kids and their families is planned for the end of the month.

“The Boys & Girls Club is for every kid out there,” Bayles said. “We want to accomplish what every parent wants for their kids — we want them to have a safe place to learn and grow, to be successful in school, to build social skills and to go on and be great members of society.”

The Key Takeaways for this article were generated with the assistance of large language models and reviewed by our editorial team. The article, itself, is solely human-written.



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Three motorcycles crash on Trapper’s Loop in northern Utah

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Three motorcycles crash on Trapper’s Loop in northern Utah


Three motorcycles crashed on Trapper’s Loop in northern Utah, according to the Utah Highway Patrol.

Officials said one motorcycle traveling northbound on SR-176 near milepost 10 failed to maintain its lane while navigating a curve.

The bike crossed into oncoming southbound traffic, where it collided with two other motorcycles. Officials said all three riders were taken to a nearby hospital in stable condition. All were wearing helmets and protective gear.

Speed is believed to have been a contributing factor in the crash.

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