Jazz playoff hero chases long-deserved honor

The Basketball Hall of Fame announced the 2026 inductees earlier today. While virtually none of the names mentioned are considered esteemed Utah Jazz alumni, Jazz fans will certainly remember one that made the list: Joe Johnson.

Johnson, who played for the Jazz from 2016 to 2018, was named among the nominees. Looking at the other nominees, it’s hard to see how he won’t be in the Hall of Fame.

He may never have been an MVP candidate or won any titles, but Johnson’s claim to fame wasn’t just that he was one of the best pure scorers of his era, but his longevity as a player was impressive. All Jazz fans remember this, as his scoring prowess made Utah a formidable playoff team in 2017.

They then traded him at the right time, but it had been years since the Jazz had actually had any playoff success. Johnson wasn’t his best self by then and he certainly wasn’t the Jazz’s best player, but fans still fondly remember him for what he did in his short time with the team.

Being in his mid-30s at the time, it was impressive that Johnson was still a threat as a bucket catcher at that age. He may not have much juice left, but the Jazz got the very last scoop from Iso Joe.

His best days were with the Atlanta Hawks, who were a playoff team year in and year out for most of his time there. Because Johnson was difficult to stop, his teams were usually a threat. It’s a shame his abilities didn’t translate into a ton, but it should be enough for him to get the highest honor a basketball player can receive after retirement.

He would be the 11th Jazz alum in the Hall

If Johnson enters the Hall, he would join Karl Malone, John Stockton, Jerry Sloan, Adrian Dantley, Pete Maravich, Hot Rod Hundley, Gail Goodrich, Walt Bellamy, Spencer Haywood and Bernard King as jazz alumni to have received such an honor.

Surprisingly, Utah has so few HOF franchise representatives, but it’s fair to suggest the list will grow over time, because it’s hard not to think Rudy Gobert and Donovan Mitchell will be in the Hall in due time. While these are the only Jazzmen to receive the honor, the Jazz have received some recognition by proxy, such as having their alumni listed in historic team elections, such as the 2008 USA Redeem Team (Deron Williams and Carlos Boozer).

It’s not like it would be the end of the world for Jazz fans if Johnson didn’t get in, but it would be a reminder of what has been a pretty happy memory this century. Let’s hope the Hall makes the right choice!