Greg Ostertag
A towering, shot-blocking center who became a fan favorite in Utah for his bruising defense and role in the Jazz's battles with Michael Jordan's Bulls.
Born 1973 (age 53)·American basketball player·Birthday: March 6·Generation X
Biography
Greg Ostertag's NBA career was defined by one place and one role: the enforcer in the paint for the Utah Jazz. Standing seven-foot-two, the Kansas product was never a prolific scorer, but he understood his job—rebound, set bone-crushing screens, and protect the rim. Drafted in 1995, he slotted perfectly into a veteran Jazz team built around Karl Malone and John Stockton. For nine seasons, his physical presence was a constant, most memorably during the Jazz's two NBA Finals runs in 1997 and 1998, where he battled against the Chicago Bulls' dynasty. While his free-throw shooting was a source of fan anxiety, his effort and willingness to do the game's dirty work made him a lasting figure in Utah basketball lore.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Greg was born in 1973, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Greg Was Born
The biggest hits of 1973
#1 Movie
The Exorcist
Best Picture
The Sting
#1 TV Show
All in the Family
Greg's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1973Born
US withdraws from Vietnam; Roe v. Wade decided
Gas: $0.39/galHome: $22,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree" — Tony Orlando & DawnBest Picture: The Sting
1978Started school
First test-tube baby born
Gas: $0.63/galHome: $35,300Min wage: $2.65/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Shadow Dancing" — Andy GibbBest Picture: The Deer Hunter
1986Became a teenager
Challenger disaster; Chernobyl nuclear meltdown
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $66,600Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"That's What Friends Are For" — Dionne & FriendsBest Picture: Platoon
1989Could drive
Berlin Wall falls; Tiananmen Square protests
Gas: $1.00/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Look Away" — ChicagoBest Picture: Driving Miss Daisy
1991Could vote
Soviet Union dissolves; World Wide Web goes public
Gas: $1.14/galHome: $82,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"(Everything I Do) I Do It for You" — Bryan AdamsBest Picture: The Silence of the Lambs
1994Turned 21
Nelson Mandela elected president of South Africa
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $90,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"The Sign" — Ace of BaseBest Picture: Forrest Gump
2003Turned 30
US invades Iraq; Human Genome Project completed
Gas: $1.59/galHome: $146,000Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"In Da Club" — 50 CentBest Picture: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
2013Turned 40
Edward Snowden reveals NSA surveillance programs
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $152,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Thrift Shop" — Macklemore & Ryan LewisBest Picture: 12 Years a Slave
2023Turned 50
ChatGPT goes mainstream; Israel-Hamas war begins
Gas: $3.52/galHome: $361,600Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Flowers" — Miley CyrusBest Picture: Oppenheimer
2026Age 53 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Played a key role as the starting center for the Utah Jazz during their NBA Finals appearances in 1997 and 1998.
- Recorded a franchise-record 10 blocks in a single playoff game for the Jazz in 1997.
- Played nine of his eleven NBA seasons with the Utah Jazz, becoming a staple of their frontcourt.
Did You Know?
He donated a kidney to his sister in 2002, a procedure that required significant recovery time and impacted the latter part of his career.
He was known for his distinctive bald head and goatee, as well as his occasional three-point attempts despite being a center.
After basketball, he became a competitive bass fisherman and participated in professional fishing tournaments.
“My job was to rebound, set screens, and let Karl and John work.”
