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For taking a stand with her own team’s fans, Jazz owner Gail Miller is Most Influential in Utah sports in 2019

One of those moments came in March, when Miller took the microphone at center court prior to a Jazz game. She denounced a fan’s behavior that had triggered an exchange with then-Oklahoma City star Russell Westbrook on the sideline earlier that week.

Saying she was “extremely disappointed” about the incident at Vivint Smart Home Arena, the Jazz owner began her three-minute speech by saying, “This should never happen. We are not a racist community.”

Miller's statement was well received throughout the NBA and, importantly, by Jazz players including Donovan Mitchell. Her strong presence at a critical moment for the franchise makes Miller the Most Influential Person in Utah Sports in 2019, as judged by The Salt Lake Tribune sports staff.