The names in question mocked Jazz owner Larry H. Miller like apparitions from the past ? Jose Ortiz, Eric Leckner, Darryl Dawkins. Names of centers gone bad, or at least, gone nowhere. One by one, they left the Jazz wanting, waiting for the day when a steady center would finally arrive.
     
Other names came to mind, acquired by means other than the draft. Felton Spencer, who was hurt just when he was playing the best basketball of his career.
     
Rony Seikaly, who refused to move to Utah when the Jazz acquired him in a trade.
     
Mike Brown, Antoine Carr and Greg Foster, forwards in poor disguise.
     
Olden Polynice, who turned free throw shooting into a game of chance.
     
But the efforts never fully worked. The candidates were either lacking in size or desire or both. Jarron Collins surprised everyone with his play last season but seems unlikely, at 6-foot-11, 255 pounds, to become a permanent answer. Greg Ostertag has tantalized but never sustained his effort beyond a few games. In addition, he underwent surgery to donate a kidney to his ailing sister on Thursday in a Texas hospital. How that will affect him is uncertain.
     
There were others like Alan Banister, Walter Palmer and John Amaechi who never answered the call.
     
"You left out Luther Wright," said Miller with a wry smile.