On the 9th day of Christmas, the Utah Jazz gave to me:

#4 retired

It finally happened. Twenty-one years after leaving the Jazz, Adrian Dantley was finally recognized by the Jazz by having his number his number retired. After a much ballyhooed feud between Miller, Frank Layden, and Dantley, old grudges were put to rest and #4 finally received the recognition that he deserved.

I guess 21 years will do a lot to erase hard feelings. Miller admitted that at times he was “too immature as an owner.” Dantley also took responsibility for things, stating, “I was young, a little bit stubborn.”

There is no measure to what AD meant to the young Jazz franchise. I went over his stats earlier this year. He was one of the first big-time names that Jazz had. He was a little before my time, but I remember quickly hearing about him through the Jazz games and in the papers, even after he was no longer with the Jazz.

Now, hopefully next year’s installment of “It’s not lame, it’s the ten days of Christmas,” we’ll be reporting on on his enshrinement into the Basketball Hall of Fame.