Utah Jazz CEO Danny Ainge: BYU athletics hitting a fever pitch | Jazz win over Houston | Young pl…

Utah Jazz CEO Danny Ainge: BYU athletics hitting a fever pitch | Jazz win over Houston | Young pl…

It’s time to talk Jazz basketball with the CEO of the Utah Jazz and NBA legend Danny H with Hance Olsson and Scotty G on 975. 975 the KSL sports. [Music] Danny, thank you so much for joining us. Uh, first and foremost, how was your Thanksgiving? My Thanksgiving was great. Uh, I went with uh my son Austin and his family and my daughter and her family, Taylor, and Brad Stevens and his family joined us in Vegas where we were all watching basketball games. Oh, wow. Still close with Brad, huh? Very close. Yes. I’m glad to hear that. Seems like an amazing man. Great time at Thanksgiving. Obviously got enough to eat. I I got to imagine is uh is the conversation all basketball at the AI family Thanksgiving? No. No. My daughter doesn’t my daughter doesn’t allow it. But my but her son, my gr my 13-year-old grandson demands it. So that’s an interesting dynamic. Your daughter’s saying, “No, we’re not doing that, Dad.” and and and you’ve got grandson saying, “Nah, let’s let’s talk about this. Let’s get into some of this.” I gotta imagine that’s an interesting dynamic at the table, Danny. Yeah, it’s fun. Um, I want to talk about this Kehlani Satake signing because I got to imagine you’ve built a relationship with Kehlani and I want to kind of get your thoughts. BYU sealing their guy that they’ve had for 10 years that’s done amazing things. just your thought on the contract and then also I I think you and I have a perspective as former BYU athletes just the growth of BYU sports and the willingness to commit to something like this. Yeah, I mean I was really excited to hear that uh yesterday and I know I know B Sant’s been trying to get that to happen. Um, and no, it’s I’m sure it’s a big stress relief for him and a big stress relief for Kehani and and move on and couldn’t be a better time to have a big boost of momentum and everybody loves Kehani and he’s a terrific coach and even a better person. That’s that it’s awesome. I I know you you said be sane and just so everybody knows that’s Brian Santiago, athletic director at BYU. And Danny, I think you as well as anybody could talk on Brian Santiago because I I saw as this deal potentially looked like Kehani was going to go to Penn State, there was a lot of negativity and I had to step in front of a lot of it because I don’t think people understand who Brian Santiago really is. From your point of view, what kind of athletic director is Santiago? Uh he’s he doesn’t want to lose. That’s one thing I learned about Brian when he was eight years old when I coached him in junior jazz when I was at BYU. Um, and I’ve known it ever since on the golf course and the tennis court. He doesn’t want to lose anything. and uh he’s a great competitor and uh you know I didn’t I didn’t think that they I never really seriously thought Keelani would leave and um everybody that I knew was talking he’s going to leave he’s going to leave it’s you know all the betting polls have him leaving and you know nonsense like that and I said dang I should make him a lot of money I don’t think he’s going Yeah. Yeah. you know, when you got the inside track. You know, Danny, I never felt like he was going either, but I do appreciate the fact that when he had the leverage, he seized it. And I I do think that it pushes BYU into an aggressive competitive level as they pay their coach a a big-time contract and add money into NIL. And I I know from my point of view calling the color for these football games, uh it’s nothing but pure joy for me to see BYU and their athletic programs really starting to blossom. Yeah, just there’s so many sports across the board at BYU that’s fun. The cross country team finished second in the nationals. The volleyball teams in the NCAA for the women’s volleyball for the 14th or I don’t know 20th time in a row. But it seems like every year, you know, it’s just it’s a it’s a you know, the golf team is is fun to watch. Like the all the sports at BYU are fun. That’s why I moved back to Provo instead of even Salt Lake, but I wasn’t planning on move living or working in Salt Lake either, but uh I was here coming back to watch BYU sports. I I love all the sports. I love that about you. It’s it’s fun to see you at those events and and see you at those basketball games and and I think it it gives BYU fans a lot of hope to know somebody like you is giving that backing and cheering them on. It’s I know it’s a lot of fun for me to see when you’re down there with Bent and you’re hanging out with Ryan Smith and you know you’re seeing the the the group down there just supporting this team and I know this basketball team is going to be special too. Uh how much how much excitement is there for Kevin Young? Is he is he feeling pretty good about things? Yeah, I mean I don’t think the team has played as well as they’re capable of, which is good. You know, they’ve had a pretty good start to the season. Very good start to the season. Beat some good teams and uh I think that they haven’t played their best yet. I really believe they’re going to get better and better as the year goes on. Well, seems like that’s what the Utah Jazz are doing as well right now, Danny. uh two- one in their last three games, avenging a loss to Houston in that final game as Houston gives you backto-backs. Just talk about this team uh in in this two in one run that they’re currently on. What are you seeing from the group? Well, you know, it’s always good to beat a good team and and and a good team that’s trying hard to win. Um I mean, they played their top they played their top four guns. Uh, I think Durant played 40 minutes, 38, 37, 38 for the other, you know, for the big for the big four of Houston and uh, and that tells you a little bit about how much they wanted it. And so it was it was a good effort and our and our effort was way better. Our effort was more we had more resolve. You know, we obviously had something to prove. Nobody wants to be embarrassed uh like we were in the first game of the backto back and our guys responded. Obviously Bailey gets the start in this game and Ace has a nice game, a nice effort. Um he’s it feels like he’s starting to come into his own. He ends up with 13 points. Uh goes three of eight from three, pulls down three rebounds. What are you seeing from Ace in still some of the early stages of his NBA career here, Danny? You know, Ace just has he’s got a big upside and uh he’s he’s working hard on his game. The coaches are spending a lot of time with him and training him up and and he’s a joy to be around and I think Ace is fun to watch. Um, it seems like more and more he’s, you know, looks like an NBA player and his defense is getting better and his offense is getting better. His rebounding’s getting better. Um, he’s been a joy to be around and I think he’s got a bright future. You guys have this road trip to New York. Are you in New York New York now or are you headed out later tonight or No, I’m not going to New York. Okay. Are you not making the trip to Brooklyn and taking? No, I’m spending uh you know this time of the year mostly scouting just um it’s a bit it’s a time of year where you can you see a lot in small do in the same place and so I’ll be doing that mostly this time of year. Hey Danny, as you’re scouting, what is uh one or two attributes of an athlete that pop out to you? Well, I think that self-motivated players, players that love the game, um, typically have more resolve and, um, just work a little harder and they, you know, they got to not just love playing games, but love the work, uh, it takes. Uh, we’ve seen that in Kee this year. And by the way, what a, what a great bounced back game by Keiante last night. Oh, and Philipski and uh and Walter, they they had great games last night. They played really really well. Yeah, looking really good for Keonte. Some of the numbers he’s putting up, you know, 28 points and and puts up the eight assists in the back end of that that uh back to back with Houston. It is. It’s nice to see Keonte really start to bounce and and jump. And you know, Danny, I ask you about the attributes because I always get asked because I, you know, today is high school signing day with these universities and I always get asked from parents that have athletes like, “What can I tell my kid to do? What what what do you think that the the recruiters are looking for?” Because Danny, it’s so much diff more difficult now to get looked at by a university out of high school. It’s just so tough because the transfer portal. So I’m always looking for things like I I I always look for explosion. I try to look for explosion in athletes, but there is a toughness that that when I just go to a football game, I can see a different level of toughness. Is that toughness as obvious on a basketball court as it is on a football field? Yes. Yes. There are some players that are extremely tough. you know, the the difference between basketball and and football, though, other than a quarterback. Um, you know, you kind of got, you know, simpler things to do. You don’t have to play quarterback and defensive back and and linebacker and running back. You know, like in basketball, you got to play it all. You got to play you got to be able to pass, shoot, dribble, think for the team. Um, you know, everybody’s got to be a quarterback on offense and a linebacker on defense. that’s what we’re all looking for and it’s that that’s a little bit more challenging than more specialized types of positions and body types. Um, so if if that makes sense. But yeah, toughness stands out. Absolutely. And lack of toughness stands out. But what I will say about, you know, the age that in basketball, you’re drafting guys at 19 often. And like Keant is a perfect example. He’s a senior in college right now. And in most cases, you know, that senior in college is coming out of football. And Dante’s tough. And Dante is emotionally more stable. You know, Dante’s a much better athlete, got more bounce, um, you know, got better conditioning, better focus, you know, and so we see like just in the the three years he’s been with the Jazz, you can see that progress. And even though I wouldn’t have labeled him as a great athlete, I wouldn’t have labeled him as a as a as a great shooter or a tough the toughest guy or the best conditioned, but I saw a lot of hope and potential in him. And I think we’re starting to see that now. And but that’s the difference between basketball and football. I love it. You know, it’s funny when I watch Walter Clayton, I feel the same. I just see, you know, he he he’s a little bit older in terms of a draft pick, in terms of adding an athlete in the NBA, and maybe you can see a little bit of the maturity, but when I see him play, I do think linebacker. That’s it’s one of my first thoughts. And I know he’s got some prettiness to his game, too, but he comes across to me as a really tough individual me. Yeah, he’s he’s had an up and down beginning. and you know he’s he’s uh a shooter and the focal point of the national championship team last year and now he’s a player trying to fit in with Kee and Lowry and you know our scorers and um so it’s he has to take on a different role. I remember when the same thing happened to me when I was coming out um you know that was tough. There’s consequences to missing shots when you’re playing with Larry Bird and Kevin McCale and Robert Parish, you know, like you you can’t just not the best player. You’re not shooting, you know, freely. And it it took a year to adjust. And I was a good shooter my whole life. And, you know, I was a good shooter after my first year of my career, but my first year was was tough. And it’s just a mental game. And you don’t get to play every night. you don’t get to play the minutes you’re used to playing. You don’t get in a rhythm and uh I can feel that a little bit with Walter and but the last few games he’s starting to play with a little more confidence. He’s made a couple of shots. He’s made some driving layins. He’s getting some rebounds. Uh you know, he’s filling up the stat sheet in in short minutes. You know, 18 minutes he’s getting, you know, eight points, six rebounds, and five assists. That’s pretty special. Well, I wish I could get you to Arlington with me for this BYU Texas Tech rematch in the Big 12 Championship game, Danny, but I’m sure you’ll be watching and uh I’ll see if Greg and I can give you a little bit of a shout out there in that game. Yeah, I will definitely be watching every second of it and rewinding. It’s going to be a good one. Uh we’ll talk about it when we get you on next week, next Wednesday. We’ll we’ll kind of go over what we saw and sure appreciate your time, Danny. All right, guys. Happy holidays. Yeah, back at you. Enjoy it as much you can. Danny A out there recruiting like crazy. Just scouting, making sure he’s finding all the talent that he can possibly find. It is the perfect time to scout because you got these early NCAA tournaments that are just packed with talent. So, you get into some of these places and you can really see a bulk of talent. kind of interesting who he spent Thanksgiving with, too. I mean, that’s uh that tells you a lot. Danny never stops working. Even when he’s sitting down for a holiday dinner, he’s sitting in there with great friends that know a lot about the business. But appreciate Danny taking a few minutes. Take a quick break. We’ll come back and uh we’ll get you some what you may have missed and then we’ll be kicking off your Cougar preview show starting at one o’clock 975 DKs Sports Zone.

• Utah Jazz CEO Danny Ainge