Paging Alan Bannister

Word is leaking out that the Jazz will play a preseason game in October in London, as part of the NBA’s Europe Live Tour.

Which, naturally, brings to mind the famous British athlete Alan Bannister. Not to be confused with British track star Roger Bannister.

And not to be confused with any former NBA player.

The 7-foot-5 Bannister actually hung around with the Jazz for one season (1990-91), earning a reported $50,000 to sit injured on the bench. A two-year Arkansas State player (1.9 points, 2.3 rebounds), he moved on to the NBA but never played in a regular season game. Which is apparently news to the Whitby (England) Gazette, which in 2008 reported the Whitby Wizards Basketball club would be having a camp, starring Bannister.

“He has played all around the world,” said the report, “including for the American NBA team the Utah Jazz where he played against the likes of Michael Jordan and Patrick Ewing.”

He isn’t listed in the Jazz record book as having played a single minute in a regular season game.

In fact, I don’t recall him playing in any exhibition games against MJ or Ewing, either, though the Jazz did play Chicago in 1990 preseason.

In case you were wondering, the article said after leaving the NBA, Bannister played for the Newcastle Eagles, Manchester Giants and the Chester Jets, as well as several other European teams.