Jazz Notes

Losing a potential longterm Jazzman. Hope CJ makes it back from the D-League.

CJ Miles, Utah's 34th pick in last year's draft, has been sent down to the Developmental League. He'll be playing in Albuquerque, New Mexico, with the Thunderbirds. Guess Coach Sloan and the other Powers That Be with the Jazz weren't impressed enough with his progress to keep him in Salt Lake.

“We feel that right now the best way to further C.J.’s development is to send him to Albuquerque where he can get more experience in an actual game setting,” said Kevin O’Connor, Senior Vice President of Basketball Operations for the Utah Jazz.

Uh-huh.

According to another potential Jazz reject, criminal rookie Robert Whaley, Miles is "upset" with this decision. Understandably so, in my opinion. He could've played college ball, but with the excitement of any seventeen-year-old, when the Jazz called he joined up...and now they've shuttled him away to the friggin' Thunderbirds, far from the real NBA.

I kinda like CJ. Seems like a good kid and a talent--and I'd much rather see him molded and taught by Jerry Sloan than by some D-League coach far away from the Jazz.

Come on, guys, he's a kid straight out of high school; surely you knew he'd be raw and need work. Looks to me like the Jazz organization is dodging its responsibilities with Miles and losing the chance to create a real Jerry Sloan player from the ground up. And forget loyalty to the Jazz from here on out with this boy. You've not shown him you're willing to take the time and effort any kid his age needs, so why would he bother with Utah when he gets a chance to move on?

Bad decision. That's all, just stupid.

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• #1 Comment from holygunp 
  1/14/06 9:36 AM | Permalink

  (iverem@seeingblack.com)wrote an article that bordered on character assination and defamation. The following is a reply from my sister. Subject:article on NBA Draft: CJ Miles. Toronto Jones should have been fact checked before publishing. The family in question is far from "ghetto."  He described  the Miles home as "ghetto life at its fullest."  Actually  its a beautiful two-story mini-mansion (as we call it in Texas)the larger, second new home that the family has built during their marriage. He goes on to say that  CJ "was sitting on a colorful but war torn sofa with his mother as they waited for his name to be called. " actually, the house was filled with family, press, coaches  
  Because,unlike a certain "stereotypical" black writer, who  could have done just a little research before putting his opinion of the Miles family out in cyberspace, the people present knew that CJ,not his family was on the brink of having his dream come true.  (And just how many of us will have the opportunity to do exactly what we wish to do in life, even those of us with a college education?)  So while yall are "Seeing Black", don't make the mistake of "Seeing Stereotypes" behind every corner. CJ"s mom is my sister. My family is well read and well traveled, both domestically and internationally.  CJ's dad is an award-winning salesman/manager for 20 years. His mom, an auditor for 12  years,with CapitolOne. I'm Director of Project Management for Tracy Locke Advertising, one of the largest ad agencies in the Southwest. My brother is the Chief of Police of Kaufman Texas, and former president of the North Texas Branch of the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement.  Our mother, valedictorian of her class, retired from the school system in 1990. Whether you guys retract this story about CJ  or not, know that along with the power of the printed word, is the responsibility of not defaming. There's enough of that coming f