By Outside of Beer, Diversity and Climate, Devin Harris Might Be on to Something Comparing Salt Lake City to Milwaukee
August 3, 2011 – 7:45 am by Eric Schmoldt
Quick! When I say Salt Lake City, Utah, name a similar city that first comes to mind! It’s a pretty tough question actually. Having been to Salt Lake numerous times, I’m not sure anything quite compares. But if you pinned me down and forced me to pick a city, I certainly wouldn’t choose the beer-flowing city of Milwaukee — another city I know plenty about.
But NBA guard Devin Harris went with it. To my knowledge, he’s the first to do so. He grew up in Milwaukee and played in Dallas and New Jersey before being traded to the Utah Jazz. Now that he’s there, he says it’s a quiet town with nice people, and that reminds him of Milwaukee. He also says he’s not currently thinking of playing overseas.
Devin Harris joined WSSP in Milwaukee with Chuck & Wickett to discuss why he’s not thinking of playing overseas, the possibility of there not being a 2011-2012 NBA season, what living in Salt Lake is like, if he’s ready to settle down and be off the trade block, and his impression of basketball fans in Milwaukee.
Are you considering playing overseas?:
“I’m not really considering it at the moment. We really don’t know how long it’s going to take. Obviously they’re scheduled to begin talks again Monday. Nobody really wants to not play, but, as a union, we’ve got to do what’s best for us and stand tall and try to get a fair deal done. But I’m not really considering overseas. It really depends on how long the lockout goes.”
What about guys like Charles Barkley who think the season could be cancelled?:
“It’s definitely possible. It’s a negotiation and obviously no side wants to give. … Obviously we’re trying to work towards something fair and hopefully we can get to that point like the NFL, where no games are missed.”
After stops in places like Dallas and New Jersey, what’s life like in Salt Lake City?:
“It’s not like the other two. It’s not that bad. It’s kind of quiet, it kind of reminds me of Milwaukee a little bit — smaller, the nightlife is not as grand. But the people there are just tremendous. Some of them are kind of different from the New Jersey-New York area. The people are very friendly. Obviously they love their team. Win, lose or draw, they fill up the stands every night.”
Is it time for you to settle into one team and get off the trade block?:
“It happens. It’s part of the league. You’ve got to look at it one way, there are teams that want me. And obviously I get to live in different cities, so I really can’t complain. I’ll definitely have a good idea of where I want to settle down after I’m all said and done. It’s just unfortunate sometimes. It’s hard being traded in the middle of the season, trying to pick up and move, but obviously it’s part of the business.”
You grew up in Milwaukee. What do you think of it as a basketball town?:
“The years that they’ve been good, they’ve really gotten good support. Not last season but the season before last, you could tell they really came out in record numbers. I remember going to the games back when they had the big three, making it to the Conference Finals, great support. So I think it can be, but I think it’s all about the product they’ve got. If the guys are winning, the city supports winning teams. They’re used to it with the Packers. They’re used to a winning tradition.”
Listen to Devin Harris on WSSP in Milwaukee here
Tags: Devin Harris, Milwaukee, Milwaukee Bucks, NBA, NBA Lockout, NBA trade rumors, Salt Lake City, Utah Jazz
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