Knicks' Jordan Clarkson Shares Feelings on Return to Utah vs Jazz

The New York Knicks are traveling to Salt Lake City to face the Utah Jazz, meaning that Jordan Clarkson, one of the beloved guards in recent Jazz franchise history, was set to return to the Delta Center for the first time since his departure from Utah after six seasons this past offseason.

It's Clarkson's second game of the season against the Jazz, his first coming in Madison Square Garden back in December. But this time, it meant he was going to get some love from the Utah home crowd in their first opportunity to embrace him since the move to New York.

For Clarkson, being in the visiting locker room in Utah is certainly a different experience from what he’s accustomed to, but he knows that Salt Lake City is always still home for him.

"It's definitely different, but excited," Clarkson said pregame, "I still feel the love here, always. So, it's home for me. I still have my home's here. So, it just feels good to be back."

Jordan Clarkson Still Has Love for Utah Jazz

Clarkson was able to get his deserved love from the Jazz crowd during the first quarter of action against Utah when the team had a tribute video, paired with a nice ovation from the Delta Center crowd to showcase their appreciation for their former veteran.

Jordan Clarkson's tribute video and ovation in his first game back in Utah against the Jazz 💜pic.twitter.com/2M8f7e3gUi
— Utah Jazz On SI (@JazzOnSI) March 12, 2026

Clarkson had a strong six seasons while stationed with the Jazz, playing in 342 regular season games to average 17.5 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 3.3 assists throughout that time.

He initially arrived via a trade deadline move from the Cleveland Cavaliers back in 2020, and would make it his home for over half a decade. His best season came back in 2021 when he had taken home the NBA's Sixth Man of the Year award en route to the Jazz's first-place finish in the Western Conference with over 50 regular-season wins.

By the time Clarkson's time with the Jazz had ended, he had risen to become the 18th-highest scorer in franchise history within the regular season with 5,965 all-time points.

Clarkson is one of 24 players to have ever scored over 5,000 career points with the team, and just one of four active players to do so (Donovan Mitchell, Rudy Gobert, Joe Ingles).

That, of course, has made him into one of the most notable fan favorites the team has seen in recent years. And therefore, makes him well-deserving of that resounding love in his first game back in his old stomping grounds.

Mar 4, 2026; New York, New York, USA; New York Knicks guard Jordan Clarkson (00) warms up before the game against the Oklahoma City Thunder at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

This season with the Knicks, Clarkson has settled into a consistent bench role as a spark plug within the second unit, playing in 56 games to average 8.6 points, 1.6 rebounds, and 1.2 assists on 43.3% from the field in just over 17 minutes a night.

Not quite his Sixth Man of the Year numbers from when he was in Utah, but still a positive addition to the Knicks' rotation. And now, he has a chance at what could be his first career championship at the end of the year, depending on just how well New York pans out getting deeper into the season.