Category: Utah Jazz Blog

Utah Jazz general manager Kevin O’Connor announced today that the team has recalled center Kyrylo Fesenko from the Utah Flash of the NBA Development League (D-League).

Fesenko, a 7-1, 288-pound center had been re-assigned to the Flash on December 6 following an earlier Flash stint from November 10-30.

Overall, Fesenko has appeared in six games (all starts) for the Flash, averaging 16.3 points, 7.2 rebounds and 2.67 blocks while shooting .625 from the floor.  Fesenko appeared in two games for the Flash during his most recent stint, averaging 21.5 points, 7.5 rebounds and 3.50 blocks while hitting 18-28 shots (.643).

The 20-year-old native of the Ukraine has appeared in one game for the Jazz, scoring six points and grabbing seven rebounds in 17 minutes in a 120-96 Jazz win over the Los Angeles Lakers the night he was first recalled.

Originally selected by Philadelphia with in the second round (38th overall selection) of the 2007 NBA Draft, the Jazz acquired Fesenko’s rights in a draft night deal that sent the draft rights to Herbert Hill (55th overall pick) and trade considerations to the 76ers.

Fesenko will join the Jazz for their game at Portland on Friday.

The Utah Jazz has assigned rookies Morris Almond and Kyrylo Fesenko to their D-League affiliate, the Utah Flash, Jazz general manager Kevin O’Connor announced today.

Fesenko, a 7-1, 20-year-old center, was originally sent to the Flash on Nov. 10. There he played four games, averaging 13.8 points and seven rebounds before being recalled by the Jazz on Nov. 30. The native of Ukraine appeared in his lone Jazz game the night he was recalled, scoring six points and grabbing seven rebounds in a 120-96 win over the Los Angeles Lakers.

Almond, a 6-6, 225-pound guard from Rice, was selected in the first round of the 2007 NBA Draft (25th overall) and has appeared in four Jazz games this season.

The Utah Flash now has the maximum number of assigned players allowable on their roster. Almond and Fesenko join Gabe Pruitt and Brandon Wallace, who are on assignment from the Boston Celtics, the other parent club for the Utah Flash. The only other time a D-League team has had the maximum number of assigned players was from Jan. 3-10, 2006 when the Florida Flame had four players on assignment from the Minnesota Timberwolves and Miami Heat.

“As a coach for our organization I’m obviously excited to have four NBA guys on our roster,” Flash head coach Brad Jones said. “This is a good accolade and tribute to what Freddy (Flash GM David Fredman) and (owner) Brandt (Andersen) are doing that NBA teams feel comfortable enough to send players our way. The challenge for the coach is I have to get these guys to mesh together, play as a team and get better every day.”

The Flash is 3-3 and in third place in the D-League’s West Division.

The Utah Jazz announced today the decision by Jerry Sloan to return as head coach through the 2008-09 season which will mark his 21st season at the helm of the Jazz.

“Jerry has led the Jazz franchise for the past 20 years and I wouldn’t want it any other way,” said Jazz Owner Larry H. Miller. “He teaches the game the way it ought to be played.”

Sloan has been Utah’s head coach since assuming the reins from former head coach Frank Layden on December 9, 1988. Sloan is the franchise’s winningest coach (953-573) and has the longest active tenure with one team of any coach in major professional sports. With 47 more wins, he will achieve the status as the only coach in NBA history to win 1,000 games with the same franchise.

More info on InsideHoops.com.