Utah Jazz: Karl Malone Having Tremendous Effect on Derrick Favors This Offseason


Russ Isabella-USA TODAY Sports

The Utah Jazz are amidst a rebuilding project and many view them as a team who isn’t going anywhere in the immediate future. But, if you ask Derrick Favors what he thinks about that you might offend the big man.

“Once I seen the trades go down and the other guys signed elsewhere. I knew it was my time now,” the Salt Lake Tribune reported.

This summer, Favors has taken it up on himself to better his game in a way that he sees could change the future of the team. Favors has been working closely with Jazz legend Karl Malone this offseason and has definitely upped his training.

Favors said that Malone, even at 50, ”could come out here and still hold his own.

“When I’m with him, the intensity picks up. Whenever you do 10 (reps), now you work out with him you got to do 20. You shoot 100 shots, now you got to shoot 500 with him. So, the intensity goes up when I work out with him.”

Favors had bulked up noticeably while cutting some excess weight this summer, and was visibly a different payer when he showed up to the USA Basketball camp. He credited much of his physique to conditioning this summer but also said he dedicated plenty of time each day to weight and skill training.

Malone is a two-time Olympic Gold Medalist in 1992 and 1996 and also notorious for his workout regimens and according to Favors his reputation holds up. Going into the 2013 season, Favors has his mind set on changing the opinions of his team’s critics in a big way.

Ryan Heckman is a Senior Writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter  @ryanmheckman, “Like” him on Facebook or add him to your network on Google.


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