Utah Jazz Will Meet Sonics In Arena’s Basketball Opener

John Stockton and the Utah Jazz will be a part of the first basketball game in the new Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena when they meet the Seattle Sonics Oct. 17 at 7:30 p.m. in a National Basketball Association exhibition.

Tickets for the Jazz-Sonics matchup will go on sale Monday at all G&B Select-A-Seat outlets, Thomas Barbieri of G&B Presents announced. Proceeds benefit the Gonzaga University athletic scholarship fund.

Stockton, who this past season became the NBA’s all-time assists leader, graduated from Gonzaga University in 1984 and was picked by the Jazz 16th overall in the first round of that year’s NBA draft. He was named the West Coast Conference player of the year in 1984. He played on the gold-medal winning Dream Team comprised of NBA standouts in the 1992 Olympics.

The Spokane native, who graduated from Gonzaga Prep, has won eight straight assists titles and is only the second player in NBA history to record 2,000 steals.

Tickets to the game are $50 for special courtside seating which includes a postgame reception, $30 for the first 10 courtside rows and $23.50 for the remainder of the seats with the exception of a special $19.50 horseshoe ticket.