Thurl Bailey, who broke into the NBA with Utah in 1983-84 and averaged as many as 19.6 points per game for the Jazz, returned to Utah in 1998-99 after playing four years in Europe, where he led his league in blocked shots each season. The lanky 6-11 Bailey was a key player on North Carolina State's 1983 NCAA Championship team that defeated the University of Houston, with Hakeem Olajuwon and Clyde Drexler, in the title game. He led the Wolfpack in scoring at 16.7 points per game and rebounding at 7.7 rebounds per game as a senior, earning First Team All-Atlantic Coast Conference honors. He was selected on the first round of the 1983 NBA Draft by the Jazz with the seventh overall pick and made the NBA All-Rookie team, averaging 8.5 points per game in his first season. He went on to play a little over eight seasons with the Jazz, averaging 14.6 points per game in a Utah uniform with highs of 19.6 ppg in 1987-88 and 19.5 ppg in 1998-99. He also was remarkably durable, missing a total of just four games in that period and playing every game in five of the eight seasons. Bailey was traded on November 26, 1991 to the Minnesota Timberwolves for forward Tyrone Corbin. He played in 84 games that season, two above the normal schedule because of the trade, and averaged 11.3 ppg, his eighth consecutive season in double figures. He tailed off to 7.5 ppg in 1992-93 and 7.4 ppg in 1993-94, his two full seasons with the Timberwolves, before beginning a four-year tour in Europe. He averaged 20.0 ppg and 8.0 rpg for Panionios in Greece in 1994-95, then led Polti Cantu to the Italian League championship in 1995-96. He played one more season for Polti Cantu, then played 1997-98 for Milano, where he averaged 18.3 ppg and 7.7 rpg. The Jazz, seeking frontcourt depth, signed Bailey as a free agent for the 1998-99 season and he played in 43 of 50 games, averaging 4.2 points and 2.2 rebounds per game.

1998-1999 REGULAR SEASON
Scored 11 points (4-8 FG, 3-3 FT), in 9 minutes, against the San Antonio Spurs on 5/2 Totaled 11 points (5-7 FG), 5 rebounds and 4 blocked shots in an 88-87 victory over the Houston Rockets on 4/1 Posted 10 points (4-5 FG, 2-2 FT) and 4 rebounds, in 13 minutes, in a 109-86 victory over the Vancouver Grizzlies on 3/3 On the injured list from 2/18 to 3/2 due to a strained left quadricep

• Thurl and his wife Cindy have four children: Thurl Jr., Tevaun, Bre Elle and Brendan
• Plays the tuba, trombone, piano and saxaphone and also has an excellent singing voice
• Served as a guest coordinator for the Utah Symphony in September, 1990
• Would like to own his own radio station