Stroll Down Memory Lane With Al Jefferson

Dec 30, 2013; Salt Lake City, UT, USA; Charlotte Bobcats center Al Jefferson (25) talks with Utah Jazz athletic trainer Gary Briggs prior to a game at EnergySolutions Arena. The Jazz defeated the Bobcats 83-80. Mandatory Credit: Russ Isabella-USA TODAY Sports

There wasn’t a lot of in between among Utah Jazz fans when it came to Big Al Jefferson. You either loved him or loathed him as a Jazzman, mostly the former, with a smattering of the latter due to vocal narratives about his lack of defensive capability.

However you felt about Al Jefferson’s defense in Utah, his personality never came into question. Always professional about work, teammates gravitated toward him like a star, and he forged relationships that have stood the test of time and competition on the court.

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Enes Kanter in particular took to Big Al, who had taken the young Turk under his wing as a rookie, Kanter later writing a letter to Jefferson ahead of their first meeting as competitors on different teams.

"“Dear Big Al,My Boy! I’m gonna pump fake you all night.Jeremy (Evans) said he is gonna dunk on you.Airport was closed but thank you for letting us land on your bed.Biggie says you’re a (inside joke).Love XOXOXOYour Boy Big Turk”–Jody Genessy, Deseret News, December 22, 2013"

The bed Kanter comically referenced is bigger than my first apartment.

Mo Williams on Al Jefferson’s giant bed

"Nothing beats a good night’s sleep even if it costs you $23,000 as Al Jefferson must be finding out.The Utah Jazz big man has bought a king-size (and we’re talking a big king) bed and teammate Mo Williams has tweeted a photo.Officially this is a 10-by-12 foot bed.–USA TODAY, October 11, 2012"

With a knack for gobbling up late-game possessions, turning them into points, Matt Moore dubbed Al Jefferson “The Cookie Monster of Clutch.

There’s no shortage of game-winning goodness in this compilation of Al Jefferson’s Top 10 Plays of His Utah Career. The Toronto Raptors must still have nightmares about Big Al:

A glaring omission from the list was a particularly emotional one for Jefferson and the Jazz.

Eight years into his NBA career, Al Jefferson had yet to hit a three-point basket. He’d tried 23 times before, mostly out of desperation as clocks expired.

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Then in March of 2012, the woman who had raised Al Jefferson passed to another realm. Jefferson’s grandmother Gladys died. Al didn’t sleep, but you wouldn’t know it from the performance he put on in her honor in the fourth quarter of that fateful night.

With the Detroit Pistons much closer than the Jazz would like, The Cookie Monster of Clutch took over, in the process hitting his first career three-pointer.

"“Special things happen on special nights!”-Craig Bolerjack"

And who can forget The Hug?

Big Al Jefferson has been embraced by Charlotte Hornets fans, and that defense isn’t such a glaring liability under Steve Clifford, who has managed to keep his club hanging around the top ten in defensive rating since Jefferson joined them.

The Charlotte Hornets are in Salt Lake City to play the Utah Jazz tonight.