One Former Utah Jazz Player Is Winning the NBA Finals This Year

The Utah Jazz will have at least one former player walking out of the Finals with a ring on their finger.

Dec 31, 2025; San Antonio, Texas, USA; New York Knicks guard Jordan Clarkson (00) dunks in front of San Antonio Spurs forward Kelly Olynyk (8) in the second half at Frost Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Dunn-Imagn Images | Daniel Dunn-Imagn Images

The 2026 NBA Finals is officially set.

After the San Antonio Spurs put together a Game 7 victory over the reigning champion OKC Thunder, they'll be preparing to face the New York Knicks in a few days’ time for a bit of a flashback to the 1999 NBA Finals' matchup between these same two teams.

🏆 PLAYOFF BRACKET 🏆

▪️ @spurs win Game 7, advance to the NBA Finals for the first time since 2014

Game 1 of 2026 NBA Finals between the Knicks and Spurs tips on Wednesday, June 3 at 8:30pm/et on ABC! pic.twitter.com/0tKSp7s7i0

— NBA (@NBA) May 31, 2026

And no matter how those games eventually pan out, there's bound to be at least one former Utah Jazz player who walks out with their first-ever NBA title.

One Former Utah Jazz Player Will Win the Finals

For the New York Knicks, they've got Jazz fan favorite and former Sixth Man of the Year, Jordan Clarkson, landing his second appearance in the Finals, which comes less than 12 months removed from his departure out of Utah.

But the Spurs also have a former Jazz representative of their own: that's veteran big man Kelly Olynyk, who played one and a half seasons and over 100 regular season games with Utah from 2022 to 2024.

Of course, it's not as sweet as the Jazz making their own trek to the Finals and winning their first-ever championship in franchise history. In due time, that'll come.

Though, at the very least, it gives Jazz fans a bit more of a rooting interest between these two teams on the final stage.

Both Clarkson and Olynyk had a special place in the franchise for the time in which they were in town, and especially so for Clarkson, considering he was in the building for over five years, including being on some of their best rosters in recent memory in the Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert era.

Apr 23, 2026; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; New York Knicks guard Jordan Clarkson (00) warms up before a game against the Atlanta Hawks during game three of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at State Farm Arena. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

It also makes the decision for Clarkson to be bought out by Utah last summer a bit more appealing in hindsight.

While he was a beloved franchise fixture and valuable veteran to have alongside this young roster, he now gets a long-awaited opportunity to add a championship to his resume after 12 years in the pros––even if it might not be located in Salt Lake City. In the end, both sides got what they needed.

Who Were the Last Former Jazz Players to Win an NBA Title?

It'll actually be the first time since 2023 that a former Jazz player has won an NBA championship, no matter if the Knicks or Spurs walk out on top.

The last to do so was veteran journeyman Jeff Green, who was a part of that Denver Nuggets roster when they took down the Miami Heat.

Jun 12, 2023; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Nuggets forward Jeff Green (32) celebrates after winning the 2023 NBA Championship against the Miami Heat at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images | Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images

Green also had only played just 30 games with Utah in his tenure with the franchise back in 2019, so he certainly wasn't in that Jazz jersey for very long.

The last former Jazz player to win a title before Green was all the way back in 2017 when Ian Clark was on the Golden State Warriors' team that beat the Cleveland Cavaliers. So it really isn't that often that Jazz alumni find themselves on this NBA Finals stage like Clarkson and Olynyk are at now.

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