Jazz Celebrate Veterans With ‘Hoops For Troops’ Game
Nov 6, 2019, 4:58 PM
A large American flag was unfurled during the playing of the National Anthem in the first half of Game Three during the first round of the 2019 NBA Western Conference Playoffs between the Houston Rockets and the Utah Jazz at Vivint Smart Home Arena on April 20, 2019 in Salt Lake City, Utah. (Photo by Gene Sweeney Jr./Getty Images)
(Photo by Gene Sweeney Jr./Getty Images)
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – The Utah Jazz are celebrating Veteran’s Day a few days early in 2019 with a “Hoops For Troops” game the weekend before the national holiday.
The Jazz are on the road against Golden State on Veteran’s Day so instead, they’ll be observing celebrate and honor veterans a few days earlier during their home game against the Milwaukee Bucks on Friday, November 8.
The Jazz are planning to “support and honor members of the armed forces and their families at the game on Nov. 8 by hosting children from the Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS). During the National Anthem, the youth will line up with Jazz players on-court, while members of Continue Mission, a nonprofit organization that aids veterans with service-connected physical, mental and emotional injuries, will hold a large American flag stretched across the court.”
The “Hoops for Troops” program is an initiative that the NBA and its teams participate in year-round. Teams like the Brooklyn Nets have already begun events to honor members and families of the armed forces.
Today we welcomed families from @TAPSorg to practice!
The Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors offers compassionate care to all those grieving the loss of a military loved one. pic.twitter.com/ut2NshKarC
— Brooklyn Nets (@BrooklynNets) November 6, 2019
Jazz players Mike Conley, Danté Exum, Rudy Gobert, Jeff Green, Joe Ingles, and Donovan Mitchell donated tickets through the player ticket donation program for Continue Mission and TAPS to attend the game.
The organization will honor each branch of service during the Bucks game.
Utah will also wear special “Hoops for Troops” shirts on Friday.
The game is scheduled to tip-off at 7 p.m. (MDT). Tickets start at $15. The game will be broadcast on AT&T SportsNet and 97.5 FM.
