Rudy Gobert honors Mark Eaton with jersey, Karl Malone wears Jordan Clarkson threads to Game 1

A small memorial of former Jazz center Mark Eaton sits on the Jazz note in front of Vivint Arena as the Utah Jazz and the Memphis Grizzlies prepare to play in Game 5 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series at Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City on Wednesday, June 2, 2021. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News

The Utah Jazz of the past and present were honored by each other prior to Game 1 of the team’s second-round playoff series against the LA Clippers on Tuesday night.

Current Jazz All-Star center Rudy Gobert arrived at the game donning a white throwback jersey of Mark Eaton, who died unexpectedly at the age of 64 on May 28, while Jazz Hall of Famer Karl Malone showed up at the game wearing a navy blue Jordan Clarkson jersey.

For Mark pic.twitter.com/Ob4BGTgeDZ

— utahjazz (@utahjazz) June 9, 2021

MVP repping Sixx ☮️@TheDeliverer_32 x @jordanclarksons pic.twitter.com/eBdh5ShvhK

— utahjazz (@utahjazz) June 9, 2021

Earlier Tuesday, Clarkson was donning a Kobe Bryant No. 8 Los Angeles Lakers jersey as Utah prepared to face their fellow City of Angels foe.

Mamba mentality pic.twitter.com/sOCDCHHctl

— utahjazz (@utahjazz) June 8, 2021

Gobert and Eaton had been close, as they shared the commonalities of being dominant interior defensive forces, winners of multiple NBA Defensive Player of the Year awards and being named All-Stars.

In addition to Gobert’s Eaton jersey, the Jazz are also honoring Eaton with an addition of his No. 53 to the jersey patch they have worn this season honoring the late Jerry Sloan.

The Jazz are honoring legend Mark Eaton this evening with an added “53” on the 1223 stripe. #TakeNote pic.twitter.com/SI8yzPymDZ

— Jazz Uniform Tracker (@JazzUniTracker) June 9, 2021

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