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Monday night in Utah, the Jazz retired John Stockton's jersey, number 12, and raised it to the rafters, immortalizing the ultimate point guard forever.

PROVO, Utah -- Every child has a hero - someone they idolize, imitate and admire with all their capacity. Their walls are plastered with their images. Their rooms are filled with their music. Their dreams consist of being just like that person. Unfortunately, some of these revered heroes end up letting these impressionable youngsters down time and time again.

Not John Stockton. He never once let me down.

Outside my family, John Stockton was my childhood hero, and I couldn’t have picked a better one. I naturally admired John for his amazing basketball abilities - those remarkable assists, the game-winning shots, and so on. But much more importantly, I loved John for the person he was, on and off the court.

In a basketball world inundated with spoiled and arrogant athletes who care more about their endorsements and egos than winning, John Stockton has been a godsend to the Jazz, the game and the entire state of Utah. Rather than incorporating the fancy dribbling, passing and self-effacing strutting that is so prevalent on SportsCenter, John came to compete each and every day, ready to play the game the way it was meant to be played. His perseverance and dedication were unrivaled, as was his work ethic and preparation. He truly was and is a winner.

In a community that embraces old-fashioned values, John has been everything and more. He has been an upstanding citizen, an excellent ambassador, and an extraordinary family man. Always a father above an athlete, he has always carried himself with a quiet dignity and demeanor rare in sports circles.

No, my hero never let me down– not #12. Thank you John for two decades of some of the best basketball the game will ever see. Thank you for being a true example. And thank you for being a childhood hero I will forever be proud of.