Wild West Basket Roadtrip – Episode 3 – Utah All-Star Night

Our photographer Thomas Savoia returned to the United States to experience the start of the college season, but for his third stop he was treated to an NBA session at the Delta Center for the arrival of LeBron James and Luka Doncic.

SALT LAKE CITY (UT), November 23, 2025 – I never really know when NBA night starts. Is it when the door to the room opens to the public? When the first fan passes through security with the jersey Markkanen over his hoodie? Or even earlier, when the Delta Center spotlights are turned on, revealing a flawless floor ready to transform into a stage where anything can happen?

Anyway, the day for me started long before the game when I left Boise, Idaho early in the morning to cover the college football championship game on Saturday night. It takes just under five hours to get to Salt Lake from Boise via Interstate 84. The landscapes of Idaho and northern Utah are absolutely mesmerizing and make the time pass easily as I cruise down the long stretches with the music playing in my SUV.

LeBron James for his ‘last dance’?

I am privileged to be accredited tonight to come Lakers in Utah. That alone would be enough to make me happy. But there’s an added variable: it’s homecoming night LeBron Jamesfor its 23rd season, and it’s an event unto itself, another chapter in a monumental book. Some supporters come from other places just to see the king and say “I was there”.

The room slowly filled with that unique atmosphere of Salt Lake City: a mixture of loyalty, tradition and impatience. The Delta Center isn’t the loudest in the league, but the intensity is palpable. We come to see pure basketball, without skill.

Every photographer’s nightmare, I should shoot from the stands, obliges “hype LeBron”. Places under the panel are expensive. I still use the warm-up to get down on the floor. It is a rare privilege, almost terrifying. The sound of sneakers on polished wood echoes like a metronome. Balls bounce everywhere, coaches whisper, hands go up to repeat the same gestures over and over. I crouch under the basket and think about the spectacle. On the jazz side, it’s Kevin Love who does a lot of minutes. The boy needs to warm up his big frame.

And then suddenly it appears. LeBron, a towel on his shoulder, a black cap on his head, step by step, as if gravity does not hold him the same way as the others. He is calm, focused, almost silent. He smiles at the staff member, but his eyes always return to the basket, the trajectory, the mechanics of the shot.

Lebron is inches away from me…

A machine gun, but always restrained a few meters from him, the moment evokes a certain respect. Except that the King approaches me and sits down next to me to tie my shoelaces. I admit it has some effect. On the other hand, Luka Doncic works in a different register: less structured than LeBron, but just as fascinating. His shots fall into the net with the same regularity as a metronome. He jokes with Austin Reaves, then lines up three perfect stepbacks, as if the invisible defense he envisions in front of him deserves to be humiliated.

When the warm-up is over, I go to the photographer’s booth, on the first floor, where the cameras are. It is very challenging to take a decent photo from this place! It’s like photographing the ocean from a cliff, but that’s not the point.

“Delta Center”, renovated but never disappointed, has a paradoxical identity: modern in equipment, vintage in soul. Early fans always continued to call him that, regardless of what naming rights dictated over the years. It’s the smell of popcorn, hot sugar, and sometimes perfume that wafts out when the air conditioner is turned on. The “Giant J-Note” at the entrance, in matte black, still attracts the curious before the match, as well as the statues of the duo Malone and Stockton.

“Jazz Bear”, the mascot, crosses the floor pretending to steal juice from the spectator, causing a general round of laughter. The room is not as chaotic as in Boston, Indianapolis or the Chase Center. It’s a more subdued fervor, with limited intensity, but as soon as the Jazz score, it flares up all at once. Besides, Jazz will be on fire right away. The shots fall and the ball travels smoothly. I try to catch Markkanen’s expression after each banderilla, as well as the determined look of Keyonta George playing as if he wants to prove something to the world. The guy is hot tonight!

Everything seems easy with Luka Dončić

But obviously I’m keeping an eye on the Lakers. On LeBron, who hesitates a little at the beginning of the meeting, in “observation” mode. On Dončić, who is also patient. I recognize that look: that of a player who knows the evening is long, very long and there’s no point in getting upset too soon. As the first quarter wears on, LeBron gains confidence. He no longer pushes: no thunderous dunks, no heroic sequences. Tonight he is building. Distribute, direct, direct. One-handed behind-the-back pass for an open shot; controlled penetration to draw two defenders and offer an alley-oop. He would end up with 12 assists, a number that speaks volumes for his philosophy on the day.

And there is Luka. I didn’t realize until I saw him in person how easy he made everything look. The step back, the penetration, the way he dominates his opponents without ever giving the impression of forcing. It’s crazy to see live, the guy is really on another basketball planet. He doesn’t complain too much to the judges this evening! When he scored his first baskets, the Lakers fans who came in droves made a deafening noise: it felt like we were in LA!

The public here also stands up very strongly for its own. Jazz seems to be sticking around. But Dončić then begins a destructive, almost cruel sequence. Traffic jam. Three-point shot in transition. Laser pass for easy dunk. He scores or creates ten points in three minutes. I trigger, I trigger again: this run, I want to catch it from all angles. When the Lakers go ahead, a quick 8-0 run that freezes the arena, I feel the night has changed. Dončić will finish the game with 33 points, 11 rebounds and 8 assists without forcing his talent, which is the performance of a boss.

But Jazz definitely doesn’t want to give anything up. Keyonte George continues to shine, Markkanen struggles, but the offensive accuracy drops, the defense drops, and Los Angeles imposes its rhythm. LeBron delays, Luka finishes. Markkanen even had a match point in the final attack, but missed his shot, although it was far from impossible.

Privileged witness

When the buzzer sounds, the room falls into an eerie silence. THE Congratulations LakersJazz exchanges full respects. Supporters leave their seats in a mixture of frustration and pride. LeBron slowly walks into the locker room, greeting a few people on the sidelines. I follow him with my eyes, this time without the device. Simply as a privileged witness.

In the press room I exchange with a member of the Jazz staff who tells me: “With Luke in this form, what could we do?. This is not an excuse. This is an observation. A match is not just a result. It is a series of micro-moments. Some caught, some missed, all real. Because of these moments, I love these trips, hoping that I was able to share this experience with you from the inside.

All photos from the meeting are go.